U.S. Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez of Indio, one of the 13 U.S. service members who died in a suicide bomb attack at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug. 26, was honored with funeral services at St. Francis of Assisi in La Quinta on Sept. 17-18.
The parish hosted a public viewing from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 17 and a private funeral Mass the following morning at 8 a.m. Father James McLaughlin, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi, led the Rosary for Lopez on Friday evening.
Bishop Alberto Rojas was present on Saturday to celebrate the funeral Mass. The bishop began by blessing Lopez’s casket in the back of the church. Six U.S. Marines then carried the casket down the aisle to the front of the church, accompanied by the family.
“This morning, we gather here as people of faith to celebrate the life of a brave man, a young man with a big heart. That makes him a hero,” said Bishop Rojas during his homily. “Hunter was a special gift from God, and a beautiful blessing. As I said, not only for his family, but also for all of us here in this country, because he was serving our country, and he has given his life serving us. And isn’t that what Jesus did?
“We are sincerely and profoundly grateful to him, and to you, the Lopez family. We are honored and proud to have had such a young hero like Hunter, serving others and giving his life serving the nation. And now we want to commend him to God, his creator, and to accompany his family and friends in their sorrow as we come together in Christ’s love,” said Bishop Rojas.
Bishop Rojas compared a sudden loss like the death of Lopez to a blackout, as both leave us confused, disoriented and thrust into darkness. He urged relying on God amid such a loss. “There’s only one thing we can be people of faith can do. And that is the turn to the only light that can take our darkness away, our Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ, who loves us, who leads us into the wonderful peace of the love of God,” said Bishop Rojas.
After the Mass, Riverside County Sheriff’s officers led a procession through the streets in Lopez’s honor. Later that day, Lopez was honored at a public memorial service at Palm Springs Convention Center and then laid to rest at Riverside National Cemetery.
The above comes from a Sept. 24 story in the Inland Catholic Byte.
From “A Tale of Two Hunters: by Phelim McAleer, published on Sept. 6 in the New York Post:
In 2009, a 10-year-old Hunter Lopez announced he was going to serve his country as a US Marine….
In 2014, Hunter Lopez joined his local Sheriff’s Explorer Scout Program. Being part of this junior law-enforcement group would help his application to join the Marines and his plan to enter law enforcement after military service….
A few years later, Hunter Lopez would earn around $2,000 a month as an enlisted Marine….
Hunter Lopez received no special treatment during his enlistment as a Marine. His family said he loved every moment of the four-year stint, even so….
According to Hunter Lopez’s uncle, his nephew spent the years after 2017 trying to be the best Marine: “Every free moment was spent training and perfecting his craft,” he said….
Hunter Lopez was one of 13 US service members killed in Kabul while defending Americans and their allies….
Hunter Lopez’s family took some time to describe the Hunter they knew. They said he “was a badass Marine and a great brother and an awesome son….”
The Lopez family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, mourners donate to the Riverside County Deputy Sheriff Relief Foundation, which helps the families of fallen officers.
I thank him for his service and may God rest his soul.
God rest his soul indeed, however YFC, I’m surprised to see you thank a Marine for his service in a war that you have repeatedly condemned. I wonder if you would have been so solicitous to him had you met him in person, wearing his uniform, or before that, when he told you he was considering joining the military.
Not only do you not know me as well as you think you know me, you don’t even read my posts. I haven’t repeatedly condemned the war and in fact I have gone up to service members and thanked them for their service. I have many veteran friends, including a now deceased recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, given for his heroism while a priest chaplain. and another who funds a speaking tour of Medal winners.
May God make his face to shine on him! I pray the Lord has lifted the veil and all has been revealed to you Hunter! Eternal rest grant unto him and let perpetual light shine upon his soul, through Gods mercy, May you Hunter receive eternal rest!!! Semper Fi!!!
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.
Think your right semper fi.
May Hunter Lopez, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
After I heard of the tragic loss of 13 of our bravest, I asked for the Holy Mass to be said for each one of them individually. They and their families are also in my Rosary prayers. I invite everyone who reads this to do the same. May Our Lord give them eternal rest and peace and strength to their loved ones.