(Editor’s note: This is the final profile in a series on the priests who have taken new assignments this year in the Diocese of Salt Lake City.) CEDAR CITY — On Jan. 7, 2008 the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City received Father José Fidel Barrera-Cruz, who had been serving in the Diocese of Puerto Rico for almost five years. He first came to Utah to visit his fellow priests, but after meeting and talking with Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald, then vicar general of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Fr. Barrera decided to stay. "God had this planned for me," said Fr. Barrera. "I came to Utah on a visit, but Msgr. Fitzgerald opened the invitation for me, so after talking with the bishops (of Salt Lake City and Puerto Rico) I decided to join this ministry to serve the community here in Utah." Fr. Barrera was born and raised in El Salvador. Since he was little he attended Mass with a lot of joy, and after some years he developed an admiration for the work that the priests do. "Since I was very young I loved the church life; I was an altar boy," he said. After the bishop from El Salvador invited him to join the seminary, Fr. Barrera went to the ‘Seminario Mayor’ located in Guatemala. After seven years there, he returned to El Salvador to be ordained as a deacon. A year later, on Dec. 7, 2002, he was ordained a priest in the Diocese of San Vicente. After some years serving his local parish, Fr. Barrera learned that ministry was needed in Puerto Rico, so without even hesitating, he moved. "In August 2004 I arrived to Puerto Rico and stayed there for several years," he said. His first assignment in the Diocese of Salt Lake City was at Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Midvale, where he served from 2008 to 2009. He returned to El Salvador for two years, then was assigned to Saint Rose of Lima Parish in Layton. In August, he transferred to his current assignment as parochial vicar of Christ the King Parish in Cedar City. "The moments that I was able to serve in Layton were great, but now I’m ready to serve in Cedar City," said Fr. Barrera, adding that he really enjoys serving in Utah because, besides having found a very loving and caring community, he has also found that the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, has a lot of support for all the ministries. "I love to be here, and Bishop Wester supports us very much," he said. "Also, Msgr. Fitzgerald (now vicar general emeritus) helps us and loves us very much. It is that human strength that helps me when I have to make changes in order to be able to serve." In his current assignment, Fr. Barrera works with Monsignor Robert J. Bussen, who became pastor of Christ the King Parish in August. "Msgr. Bussen gives me the confidence and friendship that makes me feel that I am home," said Fr. Barrera, who started his new assignment with his heart full of joy and with a lot of peace. "We have to strengthen our lives and God has called me to serve in different communities and to learn about them," he said. "Sometimes it has been a challenge, but at the same time is very gratifying to see how the people serve with a lot of love and joy. God moves the hearts that we have so we can have that strength to help all our community members."
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