Charismatic Catholic Congress reinforce vocations in the families

Friday, Sep. 04, 2015

DRAPER  —  Almost 1,000 Catholics gathered at the Skaggs Catholic Center for  the Family Charismatic Congress 2015.

With the theme ”Jesus is the Road for the Vocations in the Families,” the congress was celebrated Aug. 22- 23.

The congress started with upbeat singing by the praise ministry, followed by prayer and Scriptural readings.

Father Jose Barrera-Hernandez, parochial vicar of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish and the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s Charismatic group’s spiritual advisor, assisted with the Sacrament of Confession during the retreat and concelebrated the Mass.

The retreat was organized by the diocese, and the diocesan Renovation Charismatic Group, with the support of the diocese’s Hispanic Ministry Office.

“This encounter is very special. There is a lot of need in our Hispanic community; we hope that we can have better families, better parents, better children, and that we can grow the vocations inside our families,” said Salvador Bautista, coordinator of the diocesan Charismatic group.

Vocations to the priesthood are very important nowadays “because if we look around, our youth basically don’t want to deal with anything related to it, so we have to help the parents find ways to motivate their kids, motivate the families to teach their kids the love for vocations so we can see results. … If we don’t stop the path right now, in the future we won’t have more priests,” Bautista said.

The congress’ lead presenters were Father Sergio Rodriguez from Chihuahua, Mexico and Father Roberto Gomez from the Diocese of Houston, Texas.

With a wide range of themes that went from  the problems that modern families face to Mary as the Mother of the Families and Protector of Vocations, as well as healing and witnesses talks, the Congress was fulfilled with emotions.

“I attend these types of retreats because they remind me of my origin. … The first time I arrived here in Utah and I entered a Catholic parish I felt at home, and in this type of retreat I feel that I am home with my family,” said Angelica Perez, a parishioner of Saint James the Greater in Vernal.

Perez added that she hopes that with the experience at the congress she will be able to continue her service in the community and in her parish, and make it even better and stronger.

“Now that Pope Francis is talking about the importance of the families, we need to keep on preparing and learning more and more, and this retreat was a great opportunity,” said Perez.

Luis Albor, a parishioner of San Isidro Mission in Alberta, also attended the Congress.

“When you don’t know God it is like having a bandage covering your eyes … and when we start walking along His path that bandage falls down and the light starts shining and we see the reality, and here in this Congress we are feeding our spirit so we can become stronger in the day to day [life]. Since we are in a place where it is difficult to have success as a Catholic, if we don’t gather and unite in these types of events, we are setting ourselves for failure,” said Albor.

He also wanted people to realize the importance of responding to the Lord’s call.

“He is always calling us, we just have to learn how to listen to Him,” said Albor.

During the conference, dozens of people waited patiently in line for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

“With the confessions and the talks, we can all free ourselves and welcome Jesus in our hearts,” Bautista said.

Deacon Honorio Moreno; Father Jose Fidel Barrera, administrator of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish; and Father Javier Virgen, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes (Magna) Parish and administrator of the diocesan office of Hispanic Affairs, also participated in the congress.