Zubik holds Mass to remember opioid victims, families

Service has elements of a funeral, healing

The Rev. Michael Decewicz came to the ornate, carved pulpit at St. Paul Catholic Cathedral in Oakland on Sunday afternoon and began with words more commonly heard in 12-step meetings in church basements:

“My name is Mike, and I am an alcoholic.”

“Hey, Mike,” came the response from many in the pews, familiar with the call-and-response sharing of 12-step recovery groups.

He said that when he first made that admission 13 years ago, “it was the most terrifying moment in my entire life.”

But “every day, I thank God for that humiliation,” said Father Decewicz, pastor of St. Juan Diego Parish in Sharpsburg.

That’s because, he said, the support he received from admitting his addiction and journeying to recover with fellow addicts was crucial.

Father Decewicz was speaking at a special, austere Mass held at the cathedral in remembrance of those who have died from drug overdoses, in consolation for those grieving such losses and in support of those working to overcome addiction.

“We as the church really want to embrace you,” Bishop David Zubik said to the gathering, which

included hundreds of worshippers and more than a dozen priests from throughout the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

“For those who have tragically lost loved ones ... we want to embrace you in your grief,” Bishop Zubik said in opening remarks.

And for those struggling with addiction, he said: “You are not alone. We love you. We hope in you and we want to support you so you can get better. We can’t do that ourselves. We really need God’s help.”

The service had elements typically found in a funeral liturgy, such as the hymn “Be Not Afraid” and a reading from the biblical book of Revelation promising the grieving that God “shall wipe every tear from their eyes.”

It also had elements of a Mass for healing, with a promise that “Christ took away our infirmities.”

The Mass responds to the steadily worsening epidemic of addiction primarily to opioids such as fentanyl and its variants.

Allegheny County recorded at least 652 overdose deaths in 2017, the third year in a row that it shattered its own overdose record. Overdoses in recent years have also soared in the surrounding counties in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Drug addictions have also ravaged the counties of the neighboring Diocese of Greensburg, which itself held a series of healing services and informational sessions on addiction last year.

In his homily, Father Decewicz emphasized that addiction is a disease, not a moral failing.

“You and I are challenged and invited to see, touch and love those who are imprisoned in the abyss of addiction,” he said. “Our mission as church is to love and not condemn, knowing that to love is not to enable or acquiesce but to challenge and embrace the addict.”

But a helpful response requires more than “pious words,” he said. It means providing practical help, such as recovery programs, education and other support.

The service was especially moving for the family of Eric Murray of Penn Hills, who died of an overdose in October of last year at age 37. Several members of the family attended the service, and afterward they were planning to gather for a balloon launch to commemorate Mr. Murray’s birthday this Wednesday.

His sister, Crystal Palmieri, said the Mass was a comfort, and she appreciated how it addressed the many people hurt by the epidemic, including the addicts and those who love and grieve for them.

“It’s a big circle of life, unfortunately,” she said. “It affects everybody.”

“Our mission as church is to love and not condemn, knowing that to love is not to enable or acquiesce but to challenge and embrace the addict.” Rev. Michael Decewicz