Msgr. Terence Moore retires after 46 years

Intermountain Catholic

+ Enlarge

Deacon Paul Graham (right) presents Msgr. Terence Moore with a portrait depicting him as the founding pastor of Saint John the Baptist Parish in Draper. The portrait will be displayed in the parish. IC photo/Christine Young

DRAPER — Monsignor Terence Moore is retiring from his pastoral assignment at Saint John the Baptist Parish, where he was the founding pastor in 1999.

Msgr. Moore has been a priest in the Diocese of Salt Lake City for 46 years.

He will fill in for vacationing priests where he is needed. "I won’t be going very far," Msgr. Moore said in his homily Aug. 4, his final Mass as pastor. "You parishioners have been a blessing in my life. Your generosity and spirituality really have nourished me over the years."

The church is on the Skaggs Catholic Center campus, with its three schools, which creates a tremendous synergy, Msgr. Moore said. As the new parish started, "it was a wonderful environment to be in, with lots of people stepping forward with their gifts and talents, and I want to thank you for a great spiritual journey."

Under his leadership, St. John the Baptist Parish has grown from less than 200 parish members to more than 2,000.

Msgr. Moore’s kindness and sincerity made him beloved, parishioners said.

Susan Heath learned of Msgr. Moore’s kindness in RCIA, where she said it didn’t matter what questions were asked, "he was always kind and willing to answer them." Heath has been the RCIA administrative assistant for six years.

"He is a holy man and the best mentor a deacon could have," said Deacon Dale Dillon. "He is very pastoral and really taught us how to be a servant to the people."

Paula Summers and her husband, Peyton Summers, assist with the social justice committee and the back-to-school drive was a tribute to Msgr. Moore "because he was a big part of Catholic Community Services and he has a concern for children," said Paula Summers. "He told us, with a big smile on his face, how he was going to miss the children’s Masses."

Olivia Zeiger, a fifth-grade student at St. John the Baptist Elementary School, said Msgr. Moore "is very nice and I’m going to miss seeing him at Mass."

Msgr. Moore was executive director for Catholic Community Services from 1987 to 1993. Previous to that, he was refugee coordinator for the Utah Department of Social Services, and also served as the diocese’s first refugee resettlement coordinator.

Msgr. Moore grew up in a family of six on a farm in Ireland and the environment was "that you always did something for the community," he said. "One of the religious brothers where I went to high school was my uncle, and the brothers asked me if I had ever thought of joining the priesthood. I went into the seminary when I was 18, and very quickly decided I wanted to go somewhere where there was a minority of Catholics – to be a mission priest."

Msgr. Moore chose to come to Utah, a mission diocese. His first assignment was at the Cathedral of the Madeleine from 1967 to 1970. "I got involved in the Chicano movement and I really enjoyed working with poverty programs," he said. "Bishop [Joseph Lennox] Federal sent me to school to receive a master’s degree in social work. Then in 1979 the Vietnam War was ending and many refugees were coming in from Vietnam and Cambodia, and that was probably a turning point for me."

Msgr. Moore went on to receive a doctorate in social work and became involved in social justice issues. "I’ve always loved that kind of work," and included it in the various parishes he has been assigned, he said. "I find that people really thrive on it and community service."

"The priesthood keeps you focused on the power of God because you are not just out there doing good, you are really doing the Lord’s work," Msgr. Moore said.

Msgr. Moore’s lasting legacy will be his concern for his parishioners and for those who live and work on the margin of society, said Deacon Paul Graham. "I am blessed that he has been a part of mine and my family’s life. He was instrumental in my decision to follow my vocation to the diaconate."

Ray Bachiller, on behalf of the Knight of Columbus, presented Msgr. Moore with a shadow box containing many items, including a rosary and a flag from his hometown in Ireland, which "is only fitting because Msgr. Moore has touched so many lives through the years," said Bachiller.

Msgr. Moore is the parish chaplain for the Knights.