Let us honor our religious women and men during the Year of Consecrated Life

Friday, Oct. 17, 2014

I am very grateful that during the next year we will be able to officially recognize the contributions that various religious women and men have made to the Diocese of Salt Lake City and throughout the world as we celebrate the Year of Consecrated Life, called by Pope Francis at the suggestion of the heads of the Congregation for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

The celebration, which will begin this Nov. 20 and conclude Feb. 2, 2016 with the World Day of Consecrated Life, has three objectives:

• A grateful remembrance of the 50th anniversary of Perfectae Caritatis, a decree on religious life, and Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council’s constitution on the Church; 

• To “make a grateful remembrance of the recent past” while embracing “the future with hope;”   

• and to call consecrated women and men to live passionately their following of Christ, particularly within their respective charisms as prophetic witnesses and presence at the margins of poverty and thought.

In June, I met with Sister Genevra Rolf and a planning committee to discuss ways in which the Year of Consecrated Life could be observed here in the Diocese of Salt Lake City so that we can affirm, celebrate and give thanks for the many religious women and men who served Utah in the past, those currently serving, and those who will do so in the future. 

Ever since I came to Utah, I have been aware of the unique and important contribution our religious men and women have made in the Diocese of Salt Lake City. It is impossible to calculate the contribution they have made and continue to make in this local Church. Their lives of prayerful service, coupled with their outreach to students, those who are sick, the lonely and marginalized, immigrants, parishioners and so many more, stand as a shining example of selfless love and unqualified commitment to the Lord and his Church. This same dedication and commitment is seen in our contemplative sisters and brothers, who support our diocese through their ministry of prayer and contemplation. In particular, I have been deeply moved and inspired in my own ministry by our religious sisters whose commitment to the Gospel and love of Christ call me to follow God ever more closely and with ever deepening fidelity.

One of the ways in which the diocese will acknowledge the consecrated men and women serving in the diocese will be a Eucharistic Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. When the date for this Mass is set, it will be announced in this newspaper and through other means, and all will be invited for the occasion. It is my hope that you will join me at the Mass and in the other observances that will occur throughout the year.

I also hope that you will read in these pages the series of monthly articles featuring the contributions of religious men and women in Utah to education, health care, catechesis and parish ministry. Dr. Gary Topping, the diocesan archivist, is writing these articles about those who built the rich heritage that the men and women now living consecrated life in the Diocese of Salt Lake City continue to build on.

In addition, I ask that you take advantage of the opportunities that will take place during this Year of Consecrated Life to become aware of the charism and legacy of the sisters, priests and brothers who initiated Catholic schools and parish religious education programs here in Utah.

I am hopeful that the observance of the Year of Consecrated Life will bring renewed interest in the living of religious life as well as give all of us in the Diocese of Salt Lake City an opportunity for grateful remembrance of the many women and men who built our schools and parishes. 

As we remember, we also continue to pray that women and men here at home will follow Christ through lives consecrated totally to Him.