Prayer group leads to increased parish participation

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Members of the San Jose Sanchez del Rio prayer group find joy in their semiweekly gatherings.

WEST JORDAN — A prayer group established in December 2022 at Saint Joseph the Worker Parish is bearing fruit.

“Prayer is one of the foundations of our Catholic faith,” said Manuel Naranjo, coordinator of the San Jose Sanchez del Rio prayer group, which also has hosted retreats that included Bible study as well as prayer.

When Father Eleazar Silva Galvan became the pastor of the parish last year, the prayer group evolved from gathering just on Tuesdays to meeting on Thursdays, too.

“He [Fr. Silva] is more formal in the liturgy in the Bible studies, so with that base we started with new studies, which has translated into more people from the prayer group serving in our parish,” Naranjo said.

Around 25 frequently participate in the prayer group gathering on Tuesday nights.

“On Thursday we gather to have studies,” Naranjo said, explaining that every week on Tuesday everyone is welcome “to come and pray. It is open to all the people who want to feel God’s presence through prayer,” he said highlighting that there is also 45 minutes dedicated to preaching.

On Thursday the gathering is focused on the people who have decided to become ministers.

“We want them to learn how to be better at the service. We study St. John the Baptist lectures,” Naranjo said, adding that most of the people who participate in the prayer group have begun serving at the parish in some capacity.

“We hope more people participate in the prayer group,” Naranjo said. “These days more than ever [it is important] that people pray because we are losing the faith. Nowadays it is very important to go back to the source; that is, the word of Jesus Christ.”

“We need to reach out to the ones who are lost, who need to remember that God is here, God never abandons us,” Naranjo said.

The prayer group has a youth component, but “right now our youth are gathering with the youth group at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church [in Salt Lake City],” Naranjo said.

Those interested in joining the prayer group may contact the parish.