Memorial services will honor miners

PRICE — Two memorial services are planned to honor the six miners lost in the Aug. 6 Crandall Canyon Mine collapse.

Catholic Priest Donald Hope was also expected to offer a tribute to the six trapped miners during his homily in today's services at Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish in Price, which oversees the Catholic mission in Huntington, the community closest to the Crandall Canyon mine where rescue efforts were discontinued Friday.

"Father Hope has invited the families to special mass. After that, he plans to talk to them about what they would like to do in the way of a memorial service," said Barbara Stinson Lee, a church spokeswoman with the Catholic diocese in Salt Lake City.

The memorial mass will likely take place in the next few days, she said.

Meanwhile, an interfaith memorial is planned for 6 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Canyon View Junior High football field in Huntington, said Lisa Roskelley, spokeswoman for Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.

Lee said the Catholic Church does not know how many of the trapped miners are Catholic but added that at least three Catholic families are expected to meet with Father Hope to talk about the memorial service.

"Members of the mission in Huntington have been praying the rosary every night since the (Aug. 6) collapse," Lee said. "The memorial mass will draw from the entire Huntington community."

Huntsman and Huntington Mayor Hilary Gordon will host the Sept. 9 service, whose participants will include Elder M. Russell Ballard of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Quorum of the Twelve; Bishop John C. Wester of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City; Pastor Lary Sweeten of Price, who helped facilitate the "Voices of a Thousand Angels" benefit concert; and the Rev. Carl Sitterud, brother-in-law of Dale Black, who was killed in the mine rescue attempt.

"Gov. Huntsman and Mayor Gordon hope to help the family members and whole community, who have endured so much throughout the devastating Crandall Canyon Mine tragedy, find peace and strength through this inspirational event," states a news release from the governor's office.

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