Jubilarians celebrated

Intermountain Catholic

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Father Lourduraj Gally (left) and Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald were honored for their 25 years and 50 years, respectively, of priestly service during a Mass Nov. 9 at Saint Patrick Parish in Salt Lake City.

SALT LAKE CITY — The golden anniversary of priesthood for Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald and the silver anniversary of Father Lourduraj Gally Gregory were celebrated Nov. 9 with a Mass and reception at Saint Patrick Parish.

The parish in downtown Salt Lake City was a fitting venue for the celebration: Msgr. Fitzgerald’s grandparents were pioneers in the parish, he said, and he himself served as pastor there from 1975 to 1982; Fr. Gally is the parish’s current pastor. Msgr. Fitzgerald is vicar general emeritus of the diocese and administrative assistant to the bishop.

The date of the celebration also was fitting, said the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, because it fell on the Feast of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran, the cathedral church of the pope, who is Bishop of Rome.

The cathedral is "a representation of God’s abiding, faithful presence in our lives," Bishop Wester said, while the priests are "true living stones that we celebrate tonight, Fr. Lourduraj Gally Gregory and Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald. Both of these splendid priests in this local church have been present to us, and their ministry and their lives have been given to us as a gift.... These are two priests who are truly examples of those who serve willingly, graciously and generously. They do so always with a smile, with optimism, with hope and joy."

Msgr. Fitzgerald and Fr. Gally have served a wide variety of ministries, Bishop Wester said. Msgr. Fitzgerald has held every major administrative post in the diocese and twice served as diocesan administrator during interregnum. Father Gally arrived in Utah eight years ago after serving as a parish priest in India for 17 years. In the Diocese of Salt Lake City, he has been a parish priest and been a chaplain at the Veteran’s Administration hospital.

"If you know Fr. Gally and Msgr. Fitzgerald, you know that it’s not about them. It’s about Christ. They’re always leading us back to Christ and showing us the way to Christ," Bishop Wester said. "They are generous because they realize that much has been given to them and they desire to give it back, and to give it back in spades."

The Mass, which was standing-room only despite the cold and heavy snow, was concelebrated by Father Martin Diaz, pastor of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish; Father John Evans, pastor of Saint Andrew Parish, and Father Jerome Kyu Taek Kim and Father Andrzej Skrzypiec from Saint Ambrose Parish, where Fr. Gally is remembered fondly for his six years as parochial vicar.

"There are only about five people in the world I would go out in this kind of weather for, and you’re one of them," St. Ambrose parishioner John Henkels told Fr. Gally.

Many of those who crowded St. Patrick Parish’s social hall after the Mass were, like John and Jean Henkels, there to honor both priests.

Monsignor Fitzgerald is "a very spiritual man, and he always had time to talk to you if you needed to talk," said Roberta Valles, who with her husband, Alex, has been at St. Patrick Parish for 46 years. She remembers "Fr. Fitz" for his love of homemade chocolate-chip cookies and riding his bike around the community.

"We’ve seen them come and go, but he’s one of our favorites," said Evelyn Vega, who has been at the parish two years longer than the Valles. "Msgr. Fitz, after he came to us, we just fell in love with him ... [and] I think Fr. Gally brought us some really wonderful spirituality. He is so spiritual and loving."

Msgr. Fitzgerald was a great problem-solver, said St. Ambrose parishioner Frank Hanson. "That was all he ever did was solve problems, but also I thought his sermons were fantastic. I would say he’s probably one or two or three of the greatest priests I ever knew."

Hanson and his wife, Joan, also are close friends with Fr. Gally, he said.

"Fr. Gally is the kind of person who conveys his compassion for others, and there’s not a person that he meets that he makes you feel like you’re the most important person," said Joan Hanson.

Marlene Skillings, also a St. Ambrose parishioner, appreciates Msgr. Fitzgerald because he is "very instrumental in helping us with the Catholic Woman’s League," she said. "He’s just a wonderful, warm, humorous person. We love his sense of humor. And Fr. Gally we miss very much. He knows your name, and he brought so much friendliness into our parish."