Centennial celebrates Solemn Vespers for the Assumption

Intermountain Catholic

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Bishop John C. Wester (right) thanks Msgr. Joseph M. Mayo, pastor of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, and his predecessors, The Most Rev. William K. Weigand, Bishop Emeritus of Sacramento, who served in the Diocese of Salt Lake City from 1980-1993; and The Most Rev. George H. Niederauer, Archbishop of San Francisco, who served in the Diocese of Salt Lake City from 1994-2005. Archbishop Niederauer delivered the homily. Bishop Wester also welcomed The Most Rev. John R. Quinn, Archbishop Emeritus of San Francisco. Bishop Wester presided during the Solemn Vespers for the Solemnity of the Assumption Aug. 14, 2009.IC photo by Christine Young

SALT LAKE CITY — The Cathedral of the Madeleine was dedicated on Aug. 15, 1909. On that day 100 years ago, Vespers was celebrated as part of the dedication ceremonies.

Vespers began quietly Aug. 14, 2009, with the Most Rev. John C. Wester’s and the people’s request for the help of God. It continued with the evening hymn and psalmody.

The Most Rev. George H. Niederauer, Archbishop of San Francisco, in his homily, said, "Saint Paul the Apostle in the eighth chapter of his letter to the Romans describes God’s plan of salvation. The apostle tells us that every moment and action of God’s saving plan is aimed at the final destiny of eternal glory for all who put their faith in Jesus Christ. We are chosen, we are called, we are justified – that is put in right relationship with the father to the son by the action of the spirit.

"Yet, "in this country many people like to say that we can all try to find God in our own ways," said Archbishop Niederauer. "We can embrace the religious faith that suits us. We can choose the church community with which we feel most comfortable. This sounds as if we ourselves are definitely in charge. And yet, at the Last Supper, Jesus said to his first followers and to us, ‘You have not chosen me, I have chosen you.’ God in Christ Jesus comes in search of us, all of us. God takes the initiative. We do not.

"Mary, Christ’s mother and our mother, is the perfect sign of this saving plan of God for us," said Archbishop Niederauer. "In this Solemn Feast of her Assumption, we celebrate the fullness of salvation in Jesus Christ. Mary is united forever with God, body and soul, in eternal life."

Archbishop Niederauer also said, "We give thanks this evening for the vision and courage of Bishop Scanlan. He began this exceptional cathedral when there probably were no more than 2,000 Catholics in all of Utah. In this Diocese of Salt Lake City, parish after parish and mission after mission, follow the course of the ancient Catholic Church in so many places – first a house church, then a building used for many purposes, and finally a beautiful sacred space.

"We celebrate and give thanks for not only the building of this cathedral 100 years ago, but also the attentive, expert, and loving restoration of the Cathedral of the Madeleine over 15 years ago," said Archbishop Niederauer. "So much dedication and so many skills and talents went into the fashioning of this gracious gift for future generations of Utah Catholics.

"With joy we can celebrate this lovely Cathedral of the Madeleine, as well as the Good Samaritan Program, which feeds the hungry and administers to the needy each day of the year," said Archbishop Niederauer. "On this Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we continue our earthly pilgrimage of faith toward the heavenly Jerusalem where Mary reigns as Queen. During this joyful centennial celebration, let us seek the continued blessing of Mary’s son on this house of prayer, faith, hope, and love – this temple where Christ dwells in our midst and hallows our hearts."

Bishop Wester said throughout this week one of the themes that keeps surfacing is the fact that we really cannot celebrate this wonderful feast alone. "We need our friends and the community to help us celebrate," said Bishop Wester. "In your name and mine, I very much want to acknowledge and thank a very dear friend, His Eminence William Joseph Cardinal Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. When I say friend, I mean it in the sense that he certainly reminds us that our celebration here in Utah is very intimate and universal, and that our Holy Father prays for us all the time, and we ask that you tell him we pray for him all the time as well.

Bishop Wester also welcomed and thanked his predecessor Archbishop Niederauer, the eighth bishop of the Salt Lake Diocese. He welcomed his predecessor The Most Rev. William K. Weigand, Bishop Emeritus of Sacramento, the seventh bishop of Salt Lake City, who was bishop when Msgr. M. Francis Mannion, then pastor of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, headed the restoration of the cathedral. Msgr. Mannion is pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish.

Bishop Wester welcomed The Most Rev. John R. Quinn, Archbishop Emeritus of San Francisco; The Most Rev. Alexander J. Brunett, Archbishop of Seattle; and The Most Rev. Alvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri, Bishop of San Marcos, Guatemala. Bishop Wester said this is a wonderful sign of the closeness of our Church, and welcomed all of his brother bishops, priests, deacons, his mother and his family.

In his final prayer, Bishop Wester said, "If we listen hard enough, we may hear the echo of Bishop Scanlan or so many others who gathered here 100 years ago today."