'Mary's Heart' beats at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish

Friday, May. 15, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — A prayer group that regularly draws more than 100 people from throughout the Salt Lake Valley has been meeting weekly for more than 12 years at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Parish.

Patricia Garay, the present coordinator of “Mary’s Heart” (Corazón de María), has been part of the group for almost eight years.

“Every Friday around 6 p.m. we start praying the rosary for the needs that we know are happening right now,” said Garay.

 Afterward they have worship and music. Around 8 p.m. people from the community share their experiences; the meeting ends at 9 p.m.

“We have a schedule in which we prepare three months in advance the presentations, so we call the coordinators from each parish to see who wants to share an experience, who is going to help with the evangelization for the children, who is going to coordinate the worship,” said Garay.

After the meeting one family or person takes home an image of the Virgin Mary that is used for veneration by the group.

“People who want to thank God, or who have a specific need, take home that image and have it for the whole week,” said Garay. 

Sometimes on Tuesday a few prayer group participants will gather at the parish with the people who took the image.

“Occasionally people need help to pray the rosary, so we help them, teaching them how to or just simply by being their companions in the prayer,” said Garay.

Every first Friday of the month Father Jose Fidel Barrera, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, offers a healing Mass for the group; the priest also advises the leaders how to improve the prayer group, Garay said.

Four people direct the payer group: Garay is the coordinator, Alonso Milan is the subcoordinator, Norma Avila is the secretary and Estella Mulato is the treasurer.

“I like this group because I feel alive,” said Norma Mendoza, who has participated in the group.

The entire family can join in the activities, Garay said.

“Everyone is welcome to the prayer group, because a prayer group is open to welcome everyone. Usually the people who come have a need and find healing in the prayer,” she said.

For information, call Patricia Garay, 801-328-0972.