Bishop Solis invites all to Memorial Day Mass

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Bishop Oscar A. Solis is shown celebrating Mass on Memorial Day 2018 at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

God has given us the blessing of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, given the suffering and many difficulties we have experienced during the past months due to the coronavirus pandemic. The lifting of government restrictions regarding wearing a mask and social distancing, as well as the availability of the COVID-19 vaccines, allow us to return to a “new normal” in our lives.

We begin to move forward in time to celebrate Memorial Day, when we as a nation stop so that families, relatives, friends and comrades can spend time together in the cemetery to visit, gratefully remember, pray for and honor all the courageous men and women in military service who gave their lives for our nation so that we may enjoy God’s gifts of freedom, justice and peace.

About a month ago, I watched in the news the scene of military men and women arriving at the airport, coming home from their tour of duty in Afghanistan. The reunion of the families was a very touching moment, seeing the overpowering emotion of joy and excitement as their spouses and children jumped, kissed and hugged each other to welcome them home.

While watching this, it dawned on me that some who are still serving and risking their lives oversees are in danger, and I also recalled the experience of those unfortunate ones who died in the line of duty and were not able to come back alive to be with their families. What a contrasting experience of pain and grief.

Memorial Day is an important national celebration, reminding us of the price of the freedom and peace we enjoy and the inspiring legacy of our men and women in military service. This is a special teaching moment for us about heroism and the value of sacrifice and love for our country, which they found worth fighting and dying for. It is also a reminder of the evil of war and conflict, and the importance of our Church’s teaching about the culture of life and peace. 

St. Ambrose, an early Father of the Church, once said: “We have loved them in life. Let us not abandon them in death until we have conducted them by our prayers into the House of God.” In this spirit, I invite you to come to the Memorial Mass on Monday, May 31, at 9 a.m. at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 4th Avenue and T Street, Salt Lake City. Join us to remember, pray and entrust to God the souls of our deceased military brothers and sisters. May their acts of selflessness and heroism teach us to be grateful, inspire us and remind us of our responsibility in building a peaceful, just and better world for our generation and for the next. May they rest in peace.