Mass for Eighth-graders part of Catholic Schools Week

Intermountain Catholic

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Eighth-graders from Kearns-St. Ann School join in singing the opening hymn of the students' Mass Jan. 27 in the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Music for the liturgy was provided by members of the Madeleine Choir School Choristers.

SALT LAKE CITY — The sound of adolescent voices saying the prayers of the faithful and responding to liturgical prayers filled the Cathedral of the Madeleine as eighth-graders from 10 of the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s 16 schools gathered for Catholic Schools Week’s Mass for Eighth-graders.

The students were involved in almost every aspect of the Mass from leading the congregation in song to presenting gifts at the altar and leading the Prayers of the Faithful. They ushered during Communion and some participated in service at the altar. Eric Tita of Blessed Sacrament Elementary School in Sandy served as lector for the Mass. Diocesan chancellor Deacon Silvio Mayo read the Gospel.

During his homily, which the Most Reverend John C. Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City delivered from the steps of the sanctuary, said it was "an honor and a joy to be with you all." He called on eighth-graders to take on a role of leadership in their schools and to continue to pray regularly.

"Approach the sacred mystery with a sense of awe and gratitude, the Bishop said.

Noting that the day of the Mass was the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the Church’s great students and teachers, the bishop told the students that our whole lives mean keeping God at the center of our lives; not iPods or television or football or other sports, but only God as St. Thomas Aquinas did.

The bishop also shared a story of his first day of school. He was so upset that he began to cry, and his teacher made him stand in the closet, "something that would never be allowed today, I’m sure," he said.

I eventually got over my fear of school and did quite well," said the bishop. "But one thing I learned as early as kindergarten was that some things are not in our control. We had to experience some things together, God and I. Today, there are many things that keep me in relationship with God.

"In the reading today, we are told to keep God foremost in our lives. We are not to call anyone father or brother or master. We are to call none of these people greater than Christ.

"Don’t let the other things in our lives take over so Christ takes a back seat. All things are in Christ."

The bishop told the students not to become so absorbed in themselves that they are all they see.

"When I was teaching in a high school, we used to have a one-way mirror in my office," he said. "I could see the students in the next room, but they could not see me.

"One day a student came up to the mirror and was combing his hair and making sure he looked just right before class. I opened the door just the tiniest bit and said, ‘Looking good.’ Well that startled the young man so much. He was taking care of himself and he was all he was seeing."

The bishop said the fundamental truth is that God is important.

"We should listen to the Word of God more often than we listen to anything else. What Christ has to say to us is radically different than what anyone else has to say to us. God calls us to be humble; to look at life from a different perspective; one of service to others. We are to put our relationship with God into action. Remember that Christ is the center of everything and everything else will be fine."