Fr. Murillo assigned to Notre Dame de Lourdes

Friday, Jul. 24, 2015

RICHFIELD – A year and a half ago marked the first day that Father Rafael A. Murillo Ventura started his assignment as the administrator of Saint Elizabeth Parish in Richfield, an assignment that was meant to be temporary but became permanent.

Now Fr. Murillo has been appointed pastor of Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish in Carbon County, effective Aug. 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Originally from San Vicente, El Salvador, Fr. Murillo was ordained a priest in 1996 in El Salvador by the Most Reverend Monsignor Jose Oscar Baraona Castillo.

“One of the biggest incentives that I have is to feel that one can help; that we can serve and be part of a very extensive family,” said Fr. Murillo, who entered the seminary when he was 18 years old.

His family supported his vocation even when they felt a mixture of joy and sadness after he told them of his wishes.

“Joy, because for a family having a priest is a gift, it’s very special, it’s a joy. Sadness because this vocation somehow means having to resign your family; I mean, somehow – because we don’t forget about them – but we have to be conscious that after selecting this road we spend more time with our ecclesiastic family,” said Fr. Murillo.

His first assignment as a priest was in Tilobasco Cabañas in El Salvador, where he stayed for about 15 months. After that, he went to Rome to complete a higher degree in theological studies at the Gregorian Pontifical University.

“For me it was a marvelous and unique experience. I was there during the term of Pope John Paul II,” said Fr. Murillo.

The invitation to Salt Lake City came through his fellow priest friends from El Salvador who are now in Utah. 

The Diocese of Salt Lake City has five other priests who have come from El Salvador (Fr. José Barrera-Hernández, parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, who on Aug. 15 will become the parochial vicar of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Midvale; Fr. Oscar Manuel Hernández Hernández, administrator of Saint Felipe Parish in Wendover; Fr. Marco Tulio López, administrator of Saint Andrew Parish in Salt Lake City; Fr. José Fidel Barrera-Cruz, administrator of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Salt Lake City; and Fr. Fernando Velasco, parochial vicar of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Orem).

“I think that as priests we always are moved by serving our Church. Where our Church needs us, we are committed to the Universal Church,” said Fr. Murillo.

His goals are to discover the needs of the Church in his new area, he said. “I want to accompany the people because they have the right to have their priests.  Our ministry is the same no matter where we are. The faith is always the same everywhere; the migrants have the right to the pastoral assistance of the Church.”

Fr. Murillo has been always concerned that the community is always able to keep the treasure of the Catholic faith.

“We have to keep it and to make it stronger. We know that all we do is a gift from God. Our ministry and pastoral service is always in God’s hands; our service belongs to Him and He will make it grow,” said Fr. Murillo. 

He also wants to thank the St. Elizabeth Parish community.

“We are and will be always united through our faith in our loving and caring God,” said Fr. Murillo.