Memorial Day Mass prays for the dearly departed

Intermountain Catholic

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God's faithful people from the Diocese of Salt Lake City receive the Eucharist from Vicar General Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald and The Most Rev. John C. Wester at the Memorial Day Mass at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery May 25. IC photo by Christine Young

by SALT LAKE CITY — "We gather on this Memorial Day to honor our beloved dead, and also the men and women who have fought in wars for our freedom," said the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City.

Bishop Wester concelebrated the annual Memorial Day Mass at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery May 25, with Vicar General Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, Msgr. Joseph M. Mayo, rector of the Cathedral of the Madeleine; Msgr. Colin F. Bircumshaw, pastor of St. Ann Parish and director of vocations; Father Dominic Thuy Dang Ha, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help; and Father Martin Le, visiting from Port Arthur, Texas. Chancellor Deacon Silvio Mayo assisted at the altar.

"As we gather, we remember that Jesus Christ is the Word delivered. We remember too, that we are still celebrating the Easter season," said Bishop Wester. "We pray that same spirit turns our grief into joy and reminds us that our beloved dead are in the fullness of God’s kingdom where all tears have been wiped away."

Bishop Wester said we are very much one with the Communion of Saints, and through the Eucharist we are all one in Jesus Christ. Our beloved dead are with us through the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

"It is fitting that we celebrate this Mass at the cemetery," said Bishop Wester. "Our faith in Jesus, his resurrection, gives us a different aspect on the reality of death. Yes, we are afraid of it, mystified by it, angry by it – there are all kinds of emotions. But at the same time, as people of faith, we see it as something completely different. We have the ability to look at death and see it not as the end of life but life changed.

"We await the Holy Spirit this Pentecost and we celebrate liturgically the beautiful events of Easter," said Bishop Wester. "If you wanted to, you could take Ash Wednesday to Pentecost as one huge 90 day celebration, and then celebrate different aspects of that one feast, that one solemnity of Easter.

"From Saint John’s perspective the disciples received the spirit from the risen Christ. The reality is, the spirit came through the risen Christ," said Bishop Wester. "It is the gift of Jesus risen from the dead. As we gather at the cemetery, our thoughts turn to the Holy Spirit, the gift of the risen Christ, who is the gift of the Father.

"Saint John tells us these three persons of the trinity make their home with us. We are never alone," said Bishop Wester. "God is always with us through the spirit."