Father David Trujillo offers Thanksgiving Mass in the Cathedral

Friday, Jul. 03, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — At the Cathedral of the Madeleine on June 27, Father David Trujillo celebrated the Mass of Thanksgiving in honor of his ordination to the priesthood the previous evening.

The entire ordination “extraordinary and memorable and beautiful,” said Fr. Trujillo. “I can’t put my finger on just one particular part of the Mass or the celebration of ordination because every moment has a role, has a part, to play in what I have been called to do.”

That role was described by the homilist at the Thanksgiving Mass, Father Terrence Peter Tompkins, vice-rector of the College for Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon, which Fr. Trujillo attended.

The readings for the Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time “seem tailored … for this Mass of Thanksgiving for one of the Lord’s chosen ones,” said Fr. Tompkins. He reflected that although the first reading, from the Book of Wisdom, describes how death entered the world, “God, because he is perfect love, does not create what he does not also sustain … God will never, ever leave us feeling hopeless or helpless or hapless,” and he promised redemption to all who sincerely desire it and cast their lot with Jesus.

This perfect love is mirrored in Jesus Christ, described in the second reading from 2 Corinthians, as making himself poor “so that by his poverty you might become rich,” Fr. Tompkins said.

Then in the Gospel reading, from Mark, “Jesus is meeting needs right and left,” healing the woman suffering from hemorrhages even as he is on his way to raise the synagogue official’s daughter from the dead, Fr. Tompkins said.

“Fr. Dave, let that Gospel serve as a reminder … that parish ministry quite frankly is a ministry of interruption,” said Fr. Tompkins, adding that pastors are frequently called away just as they try to focus on a necessary task. 

Responding to the needs of others, whether it is convenient or not, is “part and parcel of your apostolic mission,” he told the newly ordained priest.

Fr. Trujillo has a phenomenal skill set, Fr. Tompkins said; he “always engages fully. He doesn’t believe that there is any such thing as an insignificant encounter. Every person counts. Every moment counts.”

Acknowledging that every good thing comes from God, and speaking to Fr. Trujillo, Fr. Tompkins said, “What is thoroughly awesome about all of this is your determination to put every last one of your gifts at his service, for his people and for the up-building of his kingdom.”

After the Mass of Thanksgiving, Fr. Trujillo said it had been an emotional experience for him because present were his family members, Fr. Tompkins and also people to whom he will be ministering, “so the past, present and future were present,” he said.

Nevertheless, he felt a peace that supersedes all understanding, which amazed him, he said, and he has realized “it’s no longer about me, it’s about who I’m going to shepherd, the community.”