Papal honors: Four priests made monsignors, chancellor receives Pro Ecclesia medal

Intermountain Catholic

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Deacon Silvio Mayo (left), Msgr. Joseph M. Mayo, Vicar General Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, Deacon Scott Dodge, the Most. Rev. John C. Wester, Master of Ceremonies Deacon Lynn Johnson, Msgr. Colin F. Bircumshaw, Msgr. Matthew O. Wixted, and Msgr. Terence M. Moore pray during a vespers ceremony just prior to the Conferral of Ecclesiastical Honors. IC photos by Barbara Stinson Lee

SALT LAKE CITY — Four priests were installed as Monsignors and one deacon was recognized by the Vatican for his service to the Diocese of Salt Lake City March 18.

The Conferral of Ecclesiastical Honors was celebrated by the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, in the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Receiving the title of Monsignor in the vespers ceremony were Rev. Msgrs. Colin F. Bircumshaw, pastor of Saint Ann Parish, Salt Lake City; Joseph M. Mayo, pastor of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, Salt Lake City; Terence M. Moore, pastor of Saint John the Baptist Parish, Draper; and Matthew O. Wixted, retired. Deacon Silvio Mayo, diocesan chancellor, was given the cross and ribbon of Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, "For Church and Pope." As monsignors, they are designated as honorary members of the papal household.

The Cathedral filled early with well-wishers and family members from each of the priests’ and deacon’s parishes. Priests, deacons, and religious came to participate in the ceremony. Perhaps traveling the farthest distance was Christian Community Sister Madeleine Dufour, from Quebec, Canada, who came to honor Msgr. Bircumshaw.

"For 58 years greens, browns, certain blues and purples all kind of blend in, but I think I’ve been cured. I can see color again," said Bishop Wester. "Our splendid monsignors and our deacon are really colorful indeed. They look great.

"I am so grateful that all of you are here tonight to show your support and your love for Deacon Mayo and for Msgr. Bircumshaw, Msgr. Mayo, Msgr. Moore, and Msgr. Wixsted," said Bishop Wester.

"On behalf of Vicar General Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, and all of us in the diocese, we congratulate all five of you for these honors that have come your way because of your single service to the Church," said Bishop Wester. "Congratulations, we are very proud of you."

In his homily Bishop Wester said, "It is appropriate on the Feast of St. Joseph that we come to this beautiful Cathedral in gratitude because of what God is doing in our lives and in this local church of the Diocese of Salt Lake City," said Bishop Wester. "Tonight at our evening prayer we can continue this theme seeing God’s grace at work on Deacon Mayo, Msgr. Bircumshaw, Msgr. Mayo, Msgr. Moore, and Msgr. Wixted. We, with them, are profoundly grateful to God.

"I know that they are profoundly grateful to their families," said Bishop Wester. "Deacon Mayo, how deeply grateful you must be to Mary. Your wife of so many years – faithful, loving, and dear in so many ways, your entire family, Joan and Robert, and your extended family. Also I would say to my brother priests, the new monsignors, how grateful you must be to your family of brother priests, the presbyterate of this diocese.

"You know and I know that all that you do and continue to do, you do in concert, in harmony, and in tandem with your brother priests," said Bishop Wester. "Over the years serving with them, learning from them, supporting them as they support you. The same is true for the deacons. The diaconate community coming together for prayer and to support one another.

"I know too that your gratitude for Christ’s work in you five extends to so many more," said Bishop Wester. "The many people you have served with in your ministries, preached to, and brought communion to, those you have shared Eucharist with, and brought comfort to when they were sick. They have supported you, and have helped you through the years to learn what it is to be priests, and what it is to be deacon. I know above all that your gratitude goes to Christ, in whose image you have been formed and fashioned, and continue to be so throughout the years.

"I now speak in the name of all of you who are gathered here in thanking those who are honored tonight by the church," said Bishop Wester. "First and foremost for who you are and for what you do, and acknowledging our gratitude for the countless ways in which you have been with us on our pilgrimage of faith. We are thankful to God for your friendship, your ministry, and your devotion to us all. We are cognisant of the many sacrifices you have made for us over the years.

"Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI has honored you in this way, and we thank his holiness and continue to pray for him, and use this occasion as a reminder to pray for him and his intensions as our universal pastor," said Bishop Wester. "May God continue to bless you Deacon Silvio and Monsignors."

Msgr. Moore said, "Bishop Wester I want to thank you so very much for this great honor. It is also a wonderful honor for St. John the Baptist Parish (who broke out into a thunderous applause). I know now how very blessed we all are. We just need to continue to praise the Lord and live out the spirit of Lent, and look forward to continuing to live out the risen life of our Lord."

Msgr. Wixted recalled a wonderful event in our Cathedral when Bishop Wester was installed.

"I remember very well," said Msgr. Wixted. "He took a deep breath and said, ‘Wow, I’d like to take two breaths and two wows.’

"Again, in fact, to be honest, I am a little overwhelmed. But I am deeply grateful, of course, naturally, to the Church, and our Holy Father. I am sure there are a number of little people involved, especially our bishop, Msgr. Fitzgerald, and anyone else who was involved. To tell you the truth when I got called to come in by Shirley (Mares), the bishop’s secretary, I thought it was the inquisition, and I thought what should my defense be. Again, I am very grateful for the honor and it really goes to the people. So I accept it in the name of the various ministries in which I served. I had many wonderful years serving the sick at Holy Cross Hospital and different parishes in which I served."

"Bishop, thank you," said Msgr. Bircumshaw. "I am very honored. Thank you for the recognition of the Holy Father. To be clear, this is not something the Holy Father gives personally to any of us, it is through the recommendation of the bishop and Msgr. Fitzgerald. Msgr. Fitzgerald holds the bar very high as to what a monsignor should be.

"I want to thank all of my family, and the monsignors," said Msgr. Bircumshaw. "It is a real privilege to be in their company, and especially Deacon Silvio Mayo."

"Bishop, my special thanks to you and to Vicar General Msgr. Fitzgerald, and to all of you who have come here tonight to celebrate with all of us, both our ecclesiastical families and our own families," said Msgr. Mayo. "My dear parents, whom I am so privileged to have here this evening, at this time and this place, my sister Joanne, my brother Robert, his wife Kathy, and all of my dear friends who have come far and wide to celebrate tonight in a very special way. This event tonight is directly tied also to the centennial year of the cathedral – 1909 to 2009, and represents quite a bit of history for all of us.

"As we begin to enter into the days of this great celebration and to again look forward to the next 100 years from now in the 22nd century, they will look back on this event as one of the first events of the centennial year to celebrate this great and magnificent cathedral," said Msgr. Mayo.

"In some way we have all participated in some event, large or small, sad or joyful. It is especially joyful tonight because of the history you bring to all of us here tonight. My personal thanks to all of you, and a very warm welcome to your cathedral. I look forward to seeing you all at various times during the coming centennial year."

Deacon Mayo said, "I have been around a long time, and I am so appreciative that the bishop and Msgr. Fitzgerald have honored me with this award from our Holy Father, and also to see my son become a monsignor. I don’t have much time left, but I am glad it has happened, and I am very happy to be here. I also want to share this award with my wife, Mary, and my children. Mary has been sitting out there for 33 years by herself. She wouldn’t know what to do if I ever sat down beside her. She has been a lot more active in the diocese than I have. We are so very appreciative of this honor."