Bishop offers support, special Masses for trapped Utah miners

Published: 2007-08-08

SALT LAKE CITY (CNS) -- Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City offered "prayerful support" to six trapped miners and their families and co-workers and said he would celebrate two special Masses for them "during this most difficult time." The bishop was to celebrate Mass the evening of Aug. 8 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City and then go to St. Raphael Mission in Huntington for a morning Mass Aug. 9. The mission is 21 miles from the Crandall Canyon Mine, where six miners have been trapped since early Aug. 6. In a statement posted on the diocese's Web site, Bishop Wester said he would pray "for the miners and their families, as well as for all those who are working so hard and courageously on their behalf" and for "the people of Huntington who are so deeply affected by the collapse" of the mine. Bob Murray, chairman of Murray Energy Corp., co-owner of the mine, told The Associated Press Aug. 8 that rescue crews were within about 1,000 feet of the trapped miners and could reach them in two days. It was not known whether any of the miners survived the cave-in, believed to have been caused by an earthquake.

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