Religious friends relive historic moment
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ST. GEORGE, Utah — People of differing faiths who worship side by side in peace and tranquility can help build unity and solidarity with the troubled world around them, said Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve.
In special services held May 16 in the Cox Auditorium on the Dixie State College campus, Elder Ballard joined with Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald in a joint memorial tribute to Father Lawrence Scanlan, the first Catholic priest in southern Utah who labored for good relations between his followers and the Latter-day Saint settlers.
Elder Ballard and Monsignor Fitzgerald entered the auditorium passing under the drawn swords of the 12 Knights of Columbus who were clad in their colorful regalia. In addition to comments by Elder Ballard and the Monsignor, the tribute featured the Southern Utah Heritage Choir performing Peters' Celebrated Mass in D in Latin.
"This has been a magnificent evening," Elder Ballard said when he stood to speak. He commended the choir for singing difficult music and praised them for the diligence and desire required to sing in Latin.
The tribute was organized by the visitors center at the St. George Utah Temple to pay tribute to Father Scanlan who brought peace between the Catholic miners in nearby Silver Reef and the pioneers of the St. George area. For his efforts, many considered Father Scanlan to be something of a Catholic Brigham Young.
More recently, Elder H. David Boucher, director of the St. George Visitors Center, and Floyd Rigby, director of the Heritage Choir, considered how friendships that once existed between the two religious communities could be rebuilt. They decided to invite the Catholic community to a performance of the same music that brought the religions together 125 years ago.
Back on May 25, 1879, Father Scanlan, who longed to hear a mass in Latin, was invited with his followers to hear the St. George Choir sing mass in the newly completed tabernacle in St. George. James M. Macfarlane, an LDS friend of Father Scanlan who lived in the same boarding house, directed the choir.
Out of respect for Father Scanlan, the 18-member choir performed the mass in Latin.
The 1879 event was attended by hundreds of area Catholics and Mormons. It helped foster understanding and tolerance between the different faiths, said Monsignor Fitzgerald, Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City.
"It was the first public celebration in southern Utah of the Catholic faith," Monsignor Fitzgerald said. "No doubt everyone who attended was curious as to what they would see. In those days there were rumors of strange practices of Mormons and Catholics alike. I have a feeling some of the rumors still abound."
Father Scanlan wanted to establish good relations with the LDS people and no doubt relished the opportunity before him, said Monsignor Fitzgerald.
"Those leaders believed people could learn to trust each other, build unity and solidarity," he added. "They believed they could put their differences aside and value one another. They appreciated what they had in common."
Elder Ballard recounted the challenge of settling the red rock desert of southern Utah, and then quoted Deseret News reports of the event bolstering the view that people of that era wanted to get along.
"Father Scanlan presented some interesting comments," said Elder Ballard, reading from a Deseret News story published at the time. "Father Scanlan said, 'I think you are wrong and you think I am wrong, but this should not prevent us from treating each other with dignity and respect.'
"He was a great man and I am looking forward to meeting him one day."
Everyone must learn to reach out and help others, Elder Ballard advised the several thousand who attended the Sunday evening concert.
"We do not need to waiver on our doctrine, but we must always reach out and do all we can to be great friends with everyone," he said. "May we use this evening as a renewal of the love we have for one another, and to support one another in anything that is good."
"In the last four months as we organized this concert," said Elder Boucher, "we have become good friends. Members of the Catholic choir joined with the Heritage Choir to sing the mass. Many bridges have been built between these two communities."
E-mail: nperkins@infowest.com
