Endowment established in honor of Fr. Gally

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Father Lourduraj Gally Gregory

SALT LAKE CITY — The Catholic Foundation of Utah has established an endowment in the name of Father Lourduraj Gally Gregory, a priest of the diocese who was serving as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Copperton when he passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 13 from heart disease.

The CFU manages more than 400 endowments that benefit numerous concerns within the diocese, from individual parishes to support for seminarians.

After Fr. Gally’s funeral on Nov. 4, several of his former parishioners approached CFU trustee Cece Holt wanting to donate to the foundation in his honor. When she informed them there was no endowment, they responded, “Well, then we have to start one,” Holt recalled.

Among those who were touched by Fr. Gally were several who wished to donate to his family in some way in his name, but because he was buried in India they did not know how to do this, Holt said. At the next CFU board meeting Holt suggested to her fellow board members that it is important that local Catholics have a way to honor Fr. Gally’s memory, she said.

“He had such an impact on the parishes where he was at,” she later told the Intermountain Catholic.

The board members all expressed their support for the proposal.

“The thought was to start the funding of it with a donation from the trustees endowment and then encourage donations to support it,” CFU Executive Director Nevah Stevenson said. “I think it’s a lovely idea and very timely; I know he was cherished by many.”

CFU created the endowment with an initial donation and the board determined that the endowment should benefit the parish where Fr. Gally was assigned at the time of his death, Immaculate Conception Parish in Copperton, and the Carmelite nuns, for whom he served as chaplain.

Fr. Galley served in the Diocese of Salt Lake City for 18 years. Prior to his assignment at Immaculate Conception Parish, he served as parochial vicar at Saint Ambrose Parish in Salt Lake City, then as pastor of Saint Patrick Parish in Salt Lake City, and then Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Magna. He also served as hospital chaplain at Salt Lake Regional Hospital, the Veterans Medical Center and as chaplain for Saint Joseph Villa Senior Center and for the Carmelite nuns.  

Holt plans to contact all of the parishes where Fr. Gally served to let them know about the new endowment. “He was so loved,” she said. “You always want to do something in memory of them.”

For information about contributing to the endowment, contact Nevah Stevenson, CFU director, at 801-456-9306.