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I am a native-born practicing Utah Catholic who proudly celebrates the July 24th Pioneer Day.

This might seem strange.

Most of my non-Mormon friends and relatives view Pioneer Day as primarily an LDS celebration. The parades, fireworks and rodeos held throughout Utah commemorate the day in 1847 when Brigham Young and the pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley.

These often divisive and often unnecessary battles between Mormons and non-Mormons sadden me. I cringe when a priest criticizes our LDS neighbors from the pulpit or when a friend or family member makes a snide remark about Mormons.

I once harbored similar sentiments. My history along these lines is far from perfect.

My late wife Gayen, who converted to Catholicism, would not tolerate any criticism of Mormons. She regarded her Mormon grandmother, a descendant of Heber C. Kimball, as a saint. I was more critical of the dominant religion in those days, but one of my rants would earn almost instant admonishment. Gayen made me a better person. My second wife Nancy and her family are LDS. I recently experienced a granddaughter getting married at an LDS Temple. True, I sat in the waiting room. But I felt honored to be invited to share the joy of a ceremony I didn't totally understand but greatly respected. I honestly didn't feel like an outsider that day, something that surprised me a bit.

I hear the horror stories told by some Utah non-Mormons. And there are quirks in our state that I don't understand. Our liquor laws make no sense. Our conservative one-party system of government is ripe for bullying, corruption and lack of introspection. We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world but too often locals demand development and take our wild lands for granted. Lack of empathy for our LGBT friends troubles me both in my church and among some Mormons.

That said, otherwise liberal friends who would cringe at prejudice against blacks, Latinos or LGBT seem to have no problem stereotyping all Mormons. In my experience living in Mill Creek, Sugar House and now Taylorsville, I simply haven't experienced much prejudice due to my religion.

Still, why does this Catholic celebrate July 24?

Two Catholic priests stand on the This Is the Place Monument, something I point to as a source of pride whenever I visit. I love Utah history with all of its stories of hardship and sacrifice. I share the Mormon story with out-of-state visitors, all the while showing off the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Heck, there are even some great bars here.

I love stories such as Mormon leaders in St. George sharing their tabernacle and choir with Catholic miners living in nearby Silver Reef who had no place to celebrate mass or the more modern story of Torrey Mormons helping Catholics raise the roof on a new church in that community. I chuckled when a bishop who came to visit Nancy told me I knew more about Utah history than he did.

I celebrate Pioneer Day as a proud Utahn who happens to be Catholic with a profound respect for the state's unique history and culture. I harbor the perhaps unrealistic prayer and hope that Mormons and non-Mormons alike can celebrate our commonality and respect our differences while avoiding hateful stereotypes.

Tom Wharton is a former staff writer and columnist who has written for The Tribune for more than 50 years.