Saint Lawrence Mission is accessible to everyone

Intermountain Catholic

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Maria Herrera (right) is assisted off the elevator by Ozzy Torres. Herrera and Winnie Suter (second from left), together with Msgr. Robert Bussen (left), pastor of Saint Lawrence Mission, and Bishop John C. Wester take the first official ride in the newly blessed elevator. The elevator is a sign of outreach to all of our brothers and sisters.IC photo by Christine Young

HEBER CITY — Tears of joy were shed as Saint Lawrence mission members Winnie Sutera and Maria Herrera, the Most Rev. Bishop Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, and Msgr. Robert Bussen, pastor of Saint Lawrence Mission took the first ride in the new elevator. Msgr. Bussen is also pastor of Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish in Park City.

Bishop Wester blessed the new Saint Lawrence Mission elevator as Mass began Aug. 3. Bishop Wester concelebrated Mass with Msgr. Bussen and Father Marco T. López, associate pastor of Saint Lawrence Mission. Fr. Lopez arrived in Utah July 1. He comes to Utah from El Salvador.

"The elevator beats having to take the stairs because I don’t do stairs," said Sutera, who has had a hip replacement.

The stairs are steep, and those individuals who are unable to walk the stairs in any way often have to be assisted or carried up the stairs to the second floor chapel to attend Mass.

"This elevator is not only a symbol of your generosity, it is a sign of our outreach to all of our brothers and sisters, particularly those who have a hard time with stairs, or who cannot take the stairs at all," said Bishop Wester.

"This is a sign of our desire to be one and to destroy any barriers whatsoever that keep us from being together with Christ," he said. "I commend you for this great work. I am so delighted to take the first official ride with your pastor and a couple of members. Although in my heart of hearts, I pray that somebody has taken a ride before this to assure that it is safe and working properly."

As Bishop Wester blessed the elevator he said, "Blessed are you, Lord Our God, and worthy of all praise, for you have provided for the protecting of your creations for human labor and intelligence, and you show your own power and goodness in the inventions of the human race. Grant that all those who use this elevator to improve their lives will recognize how wonderful you are in your works and learn to carry out your will more readily."

"The elevator project started about three years ago," said Martin Torres, Saint Lawrence Mission council member. "We started raising money to renovate the existing elevator. We held festivals, bake sales, received donations, and our Latino community would bring homemade Mexican food to sell after Mass. They donated the proceeds to the elevator fund. This has really been a mission-wide project."

Saint Lawrence Mission members welcomed Bishop Wester on his first visit to Saint Lawrence. Bishop Wester thanked the mission council and all the community who made the elevator a possibility.

Following Mass, the members of Saint Lawrence Mission traveled to Heber City Park, a couple of blocks away, for their annual potluck picnic. There were piñatas for the children, plenty of food for everyone, and time to socialize with friends.

According to "Salt of the Earth," by Bernice Maher Mooney, the building that is now Saint Lawrence Mission became a Catholic church in 1967. It was originally used as a Methodist church and later as an LDS Ward. The building is more than 100 years old.

The building was acquired on Center Street, one block west of Main Street in Heber City. Alterations, including the installation of an altar, were completed and the building was dedicated by Bishop Joseph Lennox Federal on June 11, 1967, as a mission of Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish in Park City. Bishop Federal was bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City from 1960 to 1980.

The church was named Saint Lawrence in honor both of the third century martyr and the first bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Bishop Lawrence J. Scanlan. Bishop Scanlan was bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City from 1891 to 1915.

Members of Saint Lawrence come from throughout the Heber Valley, including Midway, Kamas, Charleston, and Wallsburg. Saint Lawrence has a thrift store which opened in 1983 in the basement of the mission. It is now in its own building next to the church, which used to be a hospital. The thrift store is open every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is open on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.