In Memoriam

Rev. Msgr. Michael James Winterer died on Sunday, September 29, 2024 on the Feast of the Archangels.  Saint Michael the Archangel is his patron. He was born on March 9th, 1933 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Lawrence William Winterer and Mary Ellen Mellon Winterer. He was their first child. When he was two, the family moved back to Salt lake City, Utah, his mother’s home. By this time they had his little sister Mary Ann in tow. The family moved into a home that was across from the church and the priests’ home. Many a time the priests and seminarians would come over for some of mom’s home baked delights or a cup of coffee and a visit. Michael attended grade school at the old Judge Memorial Elementary School for seven years, until the family moved to Carrington, North Dakota, the birthplace of his father. By this time, his brother Lawrence, Brother Joe, and Sister Teresa were part of the family. His little brother, Tony was born there. There they spent three years enjoying their cousins and grandparents. This was an idyllic time for the family to enjoy the fresh country air and the small town atmosphere. Michael became an altar boy for Fr. Hart, the parish priest at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and remembers getting up early in the bitter cold mornings to stoke the coal furnace so the church would be warm for Mass. Many happy and carefree times were spent with the family and friends. The family had horses, and Michael had a little Shetland pony named Taffy that he would hitch to a buggy cart and take us all for rides around town. During this time, Michael thought of the priesthood, but the bishop in Fargo said he should wait until he was older.

We returned to Salt Lake City in the fall of 1949, and Michael entered preparatory studies at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Mountain View, California.  In September of 1954, he entered St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, California where he completed his training. He was ordained a Catholic priest at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City on April 30th, 1960, by Bishop Joseph Lennox Federal, with two other priests, Fr. John Hedderman and Fr. William Flegge. “My calling to the Priesthood was from other priests, whom I observed as an altar server both in Utah and North Dakota,” said Msgr. Winterer.  It was being around them and seeing their living spirit and care of people that inspired me to become a priest.”

As a newly ordained priest, Fr. Michael assisted at the Cathedral until his first assignment as a parish priest and teacher at St. Joseph’s Parish, Ogden 1960-1961.  From 1961 to 1963, he was an Parochial Vicar at St. Ambrose Church in Salt Lake, when he was active in the CYO movement with the Catholic Youth. From 1963 to 1965, he was the Parochial Vicar at St. Marguerite’s in Tooele, and from 1965 to 1968, he was the Parish Administrator at St. Helen’s in Roosevelt.  From 1968 until 1973, he was the Chaplain at the Holy Cross and VA Hospitals in Salt Lake City, and again returned to St. Helen’s in Roosevelt as Pastor in 1973 until 1975. In 1975, Fr. Winterer spent five years in a contemplative hermitage with the late Fr. William McNamara in Sedona, Arizona, Nova Scotia, Canada, and St. George Island, in Maryland. “Every baptized person is called to be a contemplative,” said Fr. Winterer. “The formula is simple. You go from silence to solitude in the prayer of Communion with God and thence to celebration….In order to achieve the vocation of contemplation one must learn to live with silence. As the Bible says, ‘Be still and know that I Am God.'” Psalm 46.

Fr. Michael has conducted many priest and lay Retreats through the years and taught at Our Lady of the Mountains Retreat House in Ogden. In 1980, Fr. Winterer was at St. Francis Xavier Church in Kearns and then moved to Eureka, Utah, where he was the pastor at St Patrick’s Church until 1982. He moved to Richfield, Utah, in 1982 and was pastor of St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church until 1987.  During this time, from 1985 until 1987, Fr. Michael was the Dean of the SW Deanery and served on the Priests’ Personal Board.

In 1987, until 1989, he was the Pastor at St. Marguerite’s in Tooele. In 1989, he was appointed Parochial Vicar for St. Thomas More Church in Sandy. During this time, from 1987, until 1990, he was the Diocesan Vocations Director and continued as the full-time Vocations Director in 1990 until 1992. He was then sent to St. James Church in Vernal, Utah as Pastor. In July of 1993, he was the Parochial Administrator at St. Vincent’s Parish in Salt Lake. And from September until November 1993, he was in Rome, Italy on a Sabbatical. In May of 1994, he started a three year term on the Vocations Board, serving this Diocese. Also during the eighty’s he also served as pastor of the Catholic Church in Wendover, Utah and worked with the Sisters there with the poor and disenfranchised.

He came to Cedar City in 1996 as Pastor, and together with the people built a new parish, Christ the King Catholic Church. During his fifteen years as Pastor there were many challenges and joys.  During his years there, he sustained a severe arm injury requiring surgery after a fall, but continued to work despite the injury.  His work ethic and drive for care of souls was a hallmark in how he poured his life out for God’s people.  On April 15, 2005, he received a Vatican papal honor from the Apostolic Nunciature of the United States of America conferring on him the title of Chaplain to His Holiness.  The investiture ceremony took place on June 26, 2005.

In his pioneering spirit he served in many missions and rural communities, such as Milford, Beaver, Panguitch, Kanab, Escalate and Goshen, and had been known to offer Mass from the back of his truck in Beryl Junction where there was no church. Holy Cross Sister Yvonne Hatt, who served with Msgr. Winterer said, “One of his greatest virtues is that he has great compassion for everyone, and especially for the sick and infirm….With the many hours he spent behind the wheel of his Toyota 4 Runner with 100,000 plus miles on it, Msgr. Mike could fit in a lot of praying.”  He had time to pray while driving or listening to tapes of the New Testament, or listening to classical music. He enjoyed the beauty of nature all around him as drove to many church missions in the south.   Since 2011, Msgr. Mike has continued to be involved in the lives of his parishioners at St. Ann Church, in all the mission parishes and in spiritual direction, anywhere he was needed. He is the priest who with a handshake or hug reminds every parishioner after Mass that he or she is loved.  “I am very thankful to God for calling me to this vocation, said Msgr. Mike.  Being a priest has allowed me to serve the people and bring them to God and God to the people.”  He celebrated his 50th anniversary of ordination in 2010 before retiring in 2011.

Msgr. Terrence Fitzgerald fondly remarks that “Msgr. Winterer is not only one who speaks the message of the Gospel, but he, for 50 years, has given witness to all of us what it means to be faithful to your calling.”

Msgr. Michael Winterer has been afflicted for many years with eye problems, glaucoma and macular degeneration.  Despite this he has continued with his ministry without complaints.  He was committed to a life of prayer, and always available to anyone who required his help.  His contagious sense of humor, and genuine love of all of God’s people made him dear to all who knew him.

Vigil for Rev. Msgr. Michael James Winterer will be on Monday, October 14, 2024 at 7:00 PM Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, with the Very Rev. John Evans presiding.  Funeral Mass for Rev. Msgr. Michael James Winterer will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 East South Temple Street, Salt Lake City, with Bishop Oscar A. Solis presiding. Committal will follow at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 4th Avenue & “T” Street.

Beloved pastor and chaplain Father Lourduraj Gally Gregory died suddenly at Immaculate Conception Parish in Copperton, Utah, where he was serving as pastor, on October 13, 2022 at the age of 64. The cause of death was heart disease.

Fr. Gally is survived by his mother, Margaretta; sisters Josephine, Francisca and Angela Mary; and younger brother Kanickairaj, who reside in India.

Born June 25, 1958 in Manambathi Kandigai, Tamil Nadu, India to Gally and Margaretta Gregory, he attended Catholic schools in India and was ordained April 22, 1987 for the Archdiocese of Madras Mylapore and incardinated in the new Diocese of Chingleput, India. He served in various assignments in his home diocese.

Following 17 years of ministry in India, he traveled to the United States as an extern priest to serve 18 years in the Diocese of Salt Lake City, where he was formally incardinated Aug. 18, 2011. He was naturalized a U. S. citizen on August 7, 2015.

Fr. Gally served as parochial vicar at Saint Ambrose Parish in Salt Lake City, and pastor of Saint Patrick Parish in Salt Lake City and later Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Magna. His final assignment was as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Copperton, and chaplain for Saint Joseph Villa Senior Center and for the Carmelite nuns.

In addition to his parish assignments, Fr. Gally also served as hospital chaplain at Salt Lake Regional Hospital and the Veterans Medical Center.  His kindness, patience and concern for people of all faiths made him very effective in providing pastoral care for the sick and elderly.  During his 18 years in Utah, Fr. Gally was the faithful servant who gave his life for the good of others.  Given modern technology, he was able to visit daily with his family members in India.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, November 4, 2022 at 12:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, 309 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, with a vigil service held at the cathedral at 7 p.m. the prior evening. Father Gally, at his request, will be buried in India. Arrangements, courtesy of Starks Mortuary.

Beloved pastor, Father Albert Ndepachio Kileo, member of the Apostolic Life Community of Priests in the Opus Spiritus Sancti, died January 7, 2023, after a fall at the Saint Anthony of Padua parish rectory where he was pastor.  Born August 7, 1961 in Tarakea, Tanzania, East Africa to Anthony Peter Kileo (deceased) and Severa John, he was ordained a priest June 28, 1992 at Christ the King Cathedral in Moshi, Tanzania for the ALCP Community by Bishop Amedeus Msarikie. 

After several pastoral assignments in Tanzania, Father began pastoral service in the Diocese of Salt Lake City, March, 2001, at the invitation of Bishop George H. Niederauer.  Father ministered as a Parochial Vicar at Saint Joseph Parish, Ogden, then as Pastor of Saint Helen Parish, Roosevelt, where he also cared for Tekakwitha Mission on the Ute reservation. He became  Pastor of Saint James the Greater Parish, Vernal and finally pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Parish, Helper, where he died.  He also served as Dean of the Eastern Deanery for five years.

In every assignment Father Albert was known for his kindness, patience and generosity.  He assisted neighboring pastors with hospital ministry and provided Mass at area missions.  He was respected by brother priests for his fraternal care and participation in diocesan life.

Father was preceded in death by his father, Anthony Peter Kileo and is survived by his mother, Severa John, two brothers:  Benedict Anton and Daria Anton, as well as by five sisters:  Emmanuel Antoni, Aurea Antoni, Levina Antoni, Maria Antoni and Benedicta Antoni.

On Wednesday, January 18, viewing will be held at 10:00 a.m. followed by the funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. at Saint Anthony of Padua Parish, Helper, Utah.  In addition, services will be held at the Cathedral of the Madeleine:  Vigil, Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 7:00 PM and Funeral Mass Friday, January 20, 2023 at 12:30 PM. Burial will take place in his native Tanzania, East Africa.

“Bishop Oscar Solis joins our Catholic faith community all over the world in mourning the death of a wise and holy theologian, a humble dedicated shepherd and Vicar of Christ, and encourages the faithful of our Diocese to unite in prayer that the angels lead Pope Benedict into paradise and may God grant him eternal rest and peace.”

We are saddened by the passing of Pope Benedict XVI. As theologian, bishop and pope he leaves an outstanding legacy. He will be remembered for his scholarly writings and for his outstanding life-long dedication to the Church. His decision to retire from the Papacy and loyal support for Pope Francis reflected his desire to serve the Church with an energy that was diminished only because of his age. Above all, Pope Benedict XVI was known for his patience, kindness and willingness to confront difficult challenges that he encountered. We pray that he might have the eternal rest, light and happiness he deserves.    

The Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis, Bishop of Salt Lake City                                              

Death of His Holiness, Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus

Bishop Oscar A. Solis has suggested that all of the pastors/administrators of our parishes throughout the Diocese of Salt Lake City celebrate a Memorial Mass for Pope Benedict XVI at a time most convenient for the faithful on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, January 3-5, 2023, to assist this local Church in joining the Church of Rome in raising to almighty God prayers of gratitude for the deceased pontiff.  

El Obispo Solis ha sugerido que todos los párrocos/administradores de nuestras parroquias en toda la Diócesis celebren una Misa en Memoria del Papa Benedicto a la hora más conveniente para los feligreses ya sea el martes, miércoles o incluso el jueves, del 3 al S de enero de 2023, para que nuestra Iglesia local se una a la Iglesia de Roma y eleve a Dios Todopoderoso oraciones de gratitud por el fallecido Pontifice.

Monsignor Terence Michael Moore, 80, died around noon today, December 19, 2023 at the Spring Gardens Senior Living Center in Draper.

Msgr. Moore was born February 24, 1943 in Ballyfin, County Laois, Ireland to Peter and Julia Moore.  He studied at St. Patrick College, Thurles, Ireland and was ordained a Catholic priest on June 10, 1967.  He came to the Diocese of Salt Lake City as a missionary priest in 1967 and assumed numerous assignments over the years.

Msgr. Moore received a master’s degree in social work at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and in 1981 a doctorate in social work from the University of Utah. In 1978 he was named director of refugee resettlement for Catholic Charities of Utah and administered a variety of social service programs to promote the self-sufficiency of refugees from southeast Asia, eastern Europe and Cuba. For three years he served as the coordinator of refugee resettlement for the Utah State Department of Social Services.

Msgr. Moore was pastor of Saint Thomas More Parish in Sandy for 14 years and oversaw the building of the new church and rectory.  At the same time, he served as the executive director of Catholic Community Services of Utah.  In 1999 he became the founding pastor of Saint John the Baptist Parish, where he oversaw the construction of the church and developed the pastoral outreach on the grounds of the Skaggs Catholic Center in Draper.

Msgr. Moore was named a Prelate of Honor to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on November 5, 1988, with the title of Monsignor.  He was the recipient of numerous awards for his community outreach and social action initiatives. The past few years he battled chronic leukemia and heart disease. He retired August 1, 2013, but continued to assist in local parishes.

He is survived by his brother John (Maggie), his sisters, Dympna and Veronica (Michael), as well as by several nieces and nephews. 

Funeral serves are pending. 

American Fork, UT-Beloved pastor and chaplain, Father James Edward Blaine died August 31, 2022 at age 72 following a short illness. Born April 23, 1950 in Detroit, Michigan to Edward Blaine and Virginia Pikula, he was ordained a priest for the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City on April 30, 1977 in the Cathedral of the Madeleine by the Most Reverend Joseph L. Federal. Father attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and Saint John's Provincial Seminary, Plymouth, Michigan for theological studies. He is survived by his sister Vivian Price, and numerous cousins.

Until his retirement in 2018 Father Blaine served as pastor of Saint Peter Parish, American Fork for eighteen years and as chaplain at the Utah State Prison for the past twenty-four years. He was also chaplain for the Knights of Columbus, for the Wasatch Deanery Council of Catholic Women and for the diocesan scouting program. Previously Father Blaine was pastor of Saint Helen Parish, Roosevelt and Christ the King Parish in Cedar City.

In every assignment Father Blaine was known for his kindness, patience and care for parishioners and for the local community. He had special concern for the staff and those incarcerated at the State Prison, providing Mass, devotions and counseling each week for twenty-four years. His special passion was the Civil War and his prized library of Civil War works.

The funeral vigil will be held at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 7:00 pm with the Mass of Christian Burial Thursday, September 8 at 11:00 am. Interment will take place at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery following the Funeral Mass. Donations in memory of Father Blaine can be made to Saint Peter Parish, American Fork.