​Catholic funeral Mass for fallen firefighter Scott Deem to be held Friday, May 26, at Community Bib

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Catholic News Agency

Catholic funeral Mass for fallen firefighter Scott Deem to be held Friday, May 26, at Community Bible Church

Scott Deem, beloved San Antonio firefighter who died while battling a blaze May 18, will be remembered and memorialized at a Catholic funeral Mass on Friday, May 26, at Community Bible Church.

Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, will be the presider at the 1 p.m. liturgy at the church at 2477 North Loop 1604 East in San Antonio. Father Jimmy Drennan, pastor of St. Margaret Mary Church and a former officer with the San Antonio Police Department, will concelebrate at the gathering, which, although a Catholic Mass, will be an ecumenical service for the benefit of the entire community. The Archdiocese of San Antonio is collaborating very closely with the city of San Antonio Fire Department and Police Department regarding the planning of this event.

Deem, a six-year veteran of the fire department, is survived by two children and his wife Jennifer, who is pregnant with their third child. Thousands of attendees are expected at the funeral service, which will include a large number of firefighters from across the country coming to pay their respects to a fallen colleague. Additionally, two other firefighters were injured in the blaze last week which took Deem’s life.

In a statement on May 19, Archbishop Gustavo offered his deepest condolences to Deem’s family, San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood, as well as the entire San Antonio Fire Department, while also wishing a complete recovery for those injured.

“This is a sad and devastating event for our city, and we are all in mourning,” he said. “It also serves as a stark reminder that our first responders face danger and risk on every call, protecting us and putting themselves in harm’s way for others in the line of duty. The sacrifices they and their families make are valued and respected and we offer our most profound gratitude.”

The archbishop asks for prayers from the faithful of the Archdiocese of San Antonio in this time leading up to the funeral Mass, as well as on the day of the liturgy.