2023 Year in Review
SALT LAKE CITY — The Year of Our Lord 2023 brought many blessings to the Diocese of Salt Lake City, especially the once-in-a-lifetime Eucharistic Rally and Mass at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy on July 9, which was attended by 10,000 people; the event was the culmination of the diocesan phase of the national Eucharistic Revival.
We also were blessed by the June 30 ordinations of Father Oscar Marquina and Father André Sicard to the priesthood, and Deacon Anthony Shumway to the diaconate. A month earlier, nine men who are studying for the permanent diaconate underwent the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders.
Among the other highlights were the beginning of the Carlo Acutis Apostolate; the diocese has obtained a first-class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis that will be used to promote devotion to the Eucharist.
Also of note during the past year was that the Archdiocese of Las Vegas was formed on May 30, with the dioceses of Salt Lake City and Reno as part of the province.
In other news, a law was passed that bans abortion clinics in the state, and the Holy Cross Medical Group began operating several Utah hospitals. In addition, the diocese hosted the 2023 National Council of Catholic Women’s annual convention, St. Rose of Lima Parish celebrated its 75th anniversary and St. James the Greater Parish in Vernal celebrated its 100th anniversary.
The year also brought the passing to eternal life of Father Albert Ndepachio Kileo, ALCP and Monsignor Terence M. Moore. Requiescant in pace.
Some of the highlights of the year follow.
Jan. 4 — Bishop Oscar A. Solis presided at a memorial Mass for Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, who died Dec. 31, 2022.
Jan. 6 — The Choir of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, featuring the Choristers of the Madeleine Choir School, sang with the Sistine Chapel Choir at the Papal Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica with Pope Francis to celebrate the Epiphany.
Jan. 7 — Father Albert Ndepachio Kileo, ALCP died Jan. 7 after an accidental fall.
Jan. 15 — Seminarian Brian Schumacher received the Ministry of Lector.
Jan. 30 — Father Juan Antonio Garcia arrived in the Diocese of Salt Lake City to begin his ministry here.
Feb. 10-11 — At the state swim tournament, the Judge Memorial Catholic High School boys team claimed their third consecutive overall first-place title; the Bulldogs girls team took their second consecutive title, and head coach Chad Starks was named the boys Coach of the Year. At the same meet, St. Joseph CHS senior Will Jones set two state swim records. Also, Juan Diego CHS’ girls team placed second and the boys team placed third.
Feb. 15 — Dr. Galey Colosimo, principal of Juan Diego Catholic High School, was awarded the Spirit of Digital Learning, presented by the Digital Learning Collaborative, a national organization.
Feb. 18 — The Joshua Project (now known as the Carlo Acutis Apostolate) held its first rally, which took place at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church.
Feb. 21 — The Cathedral of the Madeleine celebrated the 30th anniversary of its rededication after the interior restoration that closed the building for two years as work was completed.
March 3 — Bishop Vladimir Fekete, SDB, Apostolic Prefecture of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan, visited the Cathedral of the Madeleine along with a delegation from his country who came to Salt Lake City at the invitation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Sterling Foundation.
March 6 — Seminarians Jose Luis Gomez, Kenneth Parsad and Jaime Zuazo were instituted as acolytes at Mt. Angel Seminary.
March 13 — Pope Francis celebrated the 10th anniversary of his election to the Chair of St. Peter.
March 15 — Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill into law banning abortion clinics in the State of Utah.
April 7 — The Cathedral of the Madeleine presented a live Passion Play, for the first time.
April 19 — Fr. Michael Augustine Amabisco, OP was granted faculties to minister in the diocese; he is chaplain of the Skaggs Catholic Center.
April 25 — Fr. Victor Alvarado-Renderos arrived in the diocese in April 25; he is parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Ogden.
April 29 — St. Rose of Lima Parish celebrated its 75th anniversary.
April 30 — A statue of Our Lady of the Rosary, patroness of Villa Corona, Jalisco, Mexico, was brought to St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Orem, where many people from the Mexican city have settled.
May 1 — CommonSpirit Health and Centura Health announced they had acquired several Utah hospitals; the umbrella organization is called Holy Cross Medical Group.
May 12 — St. Joseph Catholic High School claimed the USHAA 2A state soccer championship and Juan Diego CHS won the 3A state title.
May 19 — A team led by Kenneth Fabbi, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal leader and author, held a two-day workshop at St. George Parish.
May 21 — A reception was held at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in celebration of Msgr. M. Francis Mannion’s 50th anniversary of ordination.
May 30 — The formation of the Archdiocese of Las Vegas was announced, with the Most Rev. George L. Thomas named the first Metropolitan Archbishop of Las Vegas. The dioceses of Salt Lake City and Reno now are part of the Province of Las Vegas.
June 3 — Nine men who are studying for the permanent diaconate underwent the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders at the Cathedral of the Madeleine.
June 6 – Msgr. M. Francis Mannion celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.
June 30 — Father Oscar Marquina and Father André Sicard were ordained to the priesthood, and seminarian Anthony Shumway was ordained a transitional deacon during a Mass at the Cathedral of the Madeleine with Bishop Oscar A. Solis presiding.
June 30 — Bishop Oscar A. Solis was among the recipients of this year’s “Great Immigrant, Great American” award, presented by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
July 8 — Bishop Oscar A. Solis celebrated a sending Mass for the 29 local delegates to the 2023 World Youth Day, held in Lisbon, Portugal.
July 9 — Ten thousand Catholics attended the diocesan Eucharistic Rally and Mass held at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy; the event was the culmination of the diocesan phase of the national Eucharistic Revival.
July 22 — The plaza of the Cathedral of the Madeleine was dedicated in honor of the late Irene C. Sweeney, a patron of the cathedral and the diocese for many years prior to her death in 2011.
July 30 — St. Joseph the Worker Parish dedicated its “Respect All Life” memorial.
Aug. 2 — Father Javier Virgen retired.
Aug. 14 – Saint Olaf Catholic School opened its new wing, which includes a multipurpose area and four new classrooms.
Aug. 22 – The Madeleine Choir School broke ground for a field house/early childhood education center.
Aug. 23-26 — The Diocese of Salt Lake City hosted the 2023 National Council of Catholic Women Annual Convention.
Sept. 5 — Bishop Gregory John Mansour of the Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn was the keynote speaker at the Bishop’s Dinner.
September – The diocese began promoting the Utah Education Fits All scholarship program, which will award $8,000 scholarships that may be used for tuition at private schools, including Utah Catholic Schools.
Sept. 12 – Antoine Cardinal Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali, Rwanda, celebrated Mass at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Taylorsville.
Sept. 23 – St. James the Greater Parish in Vernal celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Oct. 11 – Telia Mary U. Williams gave the Newman Lecture at Utah State University; her presentation was titled “Everything That Rises Must Converge: To Be Young, Gifted and Catholic.”
Oct. 16 – A Mass of canonical establishment of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Las Vegas and the imposition of the pallium on Archbishop George Leo Thomas was celebrated at the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer in Las Vegas. The dioceses of Salt Lake City and Reno now belong to the Las Vegas archdiocese; previously they were part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
Oct. 18 – The Diocese of Salt Lake City hosted the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable for a presentation on Saint Oscar Romero.
October – Models of Heaven by Msgr. M. Francis Mannion, a retired priest of the diocese, was published by Wipf & Stock.
Nov. 3 – Three seminarians for the diocese: José Gómez Díaz, Kenneth Parsad and Jaime Zuazo were admitted to candidacy for Holy Orders during a Mass at which Bishop Oscar A. Solis presided.
Nov. 23 – Msgr. Joseph M. Mayo celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.
Dec. 2 – During a Mass at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Bishop Oscar A. Solis blessed the first-class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis that will be used for the Carlo Acutis Apostolate.
Dec. 2 — Five women of the diocese – Marilyn Acosta, Martha Chadaz, María Cruz Gray, Rosario Cano and Martha Gaeta – were certified as women leaders in the Church through Catholic Extension’s ‘Mujer Valiente’ program.
Dec. 19 — Monsignor Terence Moore, a retired priest of the diocese who, among other assignments, was the founding pastor of Saint John the Baptist Parish, died.
Dec. 24 — The Cathedral of the Madeleine put on display the newly restored Nativity set, which has been repaired and repainted.
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