Fort Worth says goodbye to beloved Father Stephen Jasso with a vigil Monday night
Several hundred North Side residents and others whose lives were touched by Father Stephen Jasso remembered him Monday night during a public viewing and vigil at the All Saints Catholic Church where he worked for so many years.
Jasso, 88, was known as an advocate for education and immigrants’ rights. He retired in 2017 and soon thereafter was diagnosed with Lou-Gehrig’s disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosi, or ALS.
He died Feb. 12 at a Fort Worth hospital.
During a vigil Monday night, Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson remembered meeting Jasso in Mexico City. He fondly recalled learning Spanish while watching television with Jasso and commenting on the day’s events.
“He taught me so much about the importance of presence and attention,” Olson told the crowd.
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, who was one of several dignitaries to deliver a eulogy, remembered Jasso as “a quiet leader.”
“He was a quiet leader, but we all listened,” Price told the crowd. “We listened because we knew that what he said would be meaningful.”
The vigil will be followed by a funeral at noon Tuesday at All Saints Catholic Church, 214 NW 20th St. in Fort Worth, and burial in Waco, Jasso’s hometown.
The vigil was attended by several hundred people, who wore face masks. Although family members, dignitaries and close friends sat close together, members of the public sat in areas where some pews were roped off for social distancing.
Many others watched the vigil on a live stream at the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth website.
The public viewing featured an open casket, with Jasso wearing a bright green vestment and his spectacles, and clutching rosary beads. The casket was closed for the vigil.
The event was held after a day-long public viewing Monday at the church, where several hundred people stopped by throughout the day to pay their respects.
“He was a good friend and spiritual leader,” Mary Vela, a retiree who has attended the church for most of her life, said after attending the viewing. “He always had just the right words to comfort me.”
Vela’s husband, David Vela, said Jasso “threw me a life preserver” several years ago by encouraging him to attend an ACTS retreat, where Catholic parishioners are urged to have a deeper relationship with their church and the surrounding community. That gathering intensified Vela’s relationship with the church, and his friendship with Jasso.
“I was basically a lukewarm Catholic. I took a lot of things for granted,” David Vela said. “My whole spirit changed because of him.”
Before the vigil began, attendees were treated to a performance by Mariachi Mexicanisimo, a musical group whose members knew Father Jasso well.
Eulogies were given by Price, former Fort Worth City Councilman (and close friend of Jasso) Sal Espino and Madison Perales, 23. Perales attended All Saints Catholic School and Nolan Catholic High School in Fort Worth and St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.
Espino remembered Jasso by posting on his Facebook account Monday morning:
“He was an extraordinary person who gave us comforting words, wise counsel, spiritual guidance, and encouragement to be the best we could be,” Espino wrote. “He gave us the gift of love. He loved us and we loved him back.
“His passing while relieving him of the suffering from ALS leaves a huge void in our lives.”
During a December 2018 interview, Jasso put his diagnosis of Lou Gehrig’s Disease into perspective.
“I think I’ve given the best years of my life to this parish, this school, the diocese and this city,” Jasso said at the time. “I now find myself in this bed with an illness that has no cure. Here I am today but until when, I don’t know. I’ve given my best to this city but it’s given me much more, honestly.”
This story was originally published February 22, 2021 at 4:11 PM.
