By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
IRVING — Gathering with aviation professionals and their families, Bishop Edward J. Burns celebrated the Diocese of Dallas’ second annual Aviation Mass at Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic Church on Sept. 20, offering gratitude and prayers for those who keep air travel safe.
“We give thanks for the work of pilots and air traffic controllers, maintenance personnel, agents, flight attendants, ground crew, and all who work behind the scenes to ensure that air travel is safe and possible for all,” Bishop Burns said. “The Wright brothers captured the whole ingenuity of flying, but we know that it also carries weight and responsibility. It’s not easy work. The hours are long; the conditions are demanding; and the risks are real.”
In his homily, the bishop recalled recent tragedies involving the aviation industry, including American Eagle Flight 5342, which on Jan. 29 was involved in a mid-air collision with a U.S. Army helicopter over the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport, killing everyone aboard both aircraft.
“In the face of such dangers, our community of faith turns instinctively to prayer,” Bishop Burns said. “We ask God to watch over all those who travel, to protect those who guide the planes through the skies, and to strengthen those who labor on the ground so that others may reach their destinations safely.”
Bishop Burns noted that the diocesan Aviation Mass was not only for prayers of protection but also for those of thanksgiving.
“Aviation brings people together; it shortens distances, unites families, enables commerce, and even carries missionaries and relief workers to places where people are most in need,” he said. “Behind every flight is a team of people who make it possible, often unnoticed and unheralded. Today, it’s important that the Church thank you.”
Bishop Burns encouraged aviation professionals to see their work as part of God’s plan.
“Every plane guided, every passenger served, every part inspected, every flight cleared — it all participates in God’s plan of bringing people together, of building communion, of lifting humanity closer to heaven,” he said.
The bishop asked that the faithful join him in entrusting “all who serve in aviation to the care of our Almighty God.”
“May God guard your work, steady your hands, and guide your decisions,” Bishop Burns prayed, “and may this Mass remind us that in every journey, whether across the skies or through the course of our lives, we journey together in faith until the day we arrive at our final destination — in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
‘It means a lot.’
For BerNardette Logan Harvey, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant and parishioner at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Richardson, the diocesan Aviation Mass was more than a celebration — it was a moment of affirmation.
“The bishop really made me feel appreciated today,” she said. “His blessing has me going forward with more appreciation for what I do, knowing that being a flight attendant, being in aviation, it is a ministry.”
Josh Ray, a student pilot and parishioner of St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Community in McKinney, said his wife, Taryn, learned of the Aviation Mass from a friend. The couple attended the Mass with hopes of connecting with fellow Catholics in the aviation community.
“I feel like the aviation community is really important, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where it’s a huge hub of aviation in the country,” Ray said. “To see that the bishop of the diocese appreciates and is honoring the whole aviation industry means a lot to me as a Catholic.”
Ray said he valued the opportunity to unite two of his passions — his faith and his future career — through the celebration of the Mass.
“Being here and seeing everyone — not just pilots but also mechanics and airline operations staff — all gathered in one place to celebrate Mass was truly beautiful,” he said.
Mark Holub, a Southwest Airlines pilot and parishioner at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, attended the Mass with his wife, Lana.
“We wanted to come to this because it’s our way of giving thanks for what we’ve been provided,” Holub said. “Every day that I get to go to work is a blessing.”
Holub said his Catholic faith often connects him with colleagues on the road.
“When I’m working, we’re overnighting in a town, and it’s not uncommon to have the captain you’re flying with say, ‘Hey, I’m going to Mass. Do you want to go?’” he said. “It’s really great that we do so much professionally, but yet here we really are a family and a community.”
Cutline for featured image: Mike Eberle of the Civil Air Patrol and his wife, Karen, far left, stand in prayer during the second annual Diocese of Dallas Aviation Mass Sept. 20 at Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic Church in Irving. (MICHAEL GRESHAM/The Texas Catholic)
