New parochial vicar arrives in Park City

Friday, Dec. 23, 2016

PARK CITY — Since August, Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish in Park City has been awaiting the arrival of their parochial vicar. Now, their wait is over. On Dec. 15, Father Rogelio Felix-Rosas arrived in Utah from Mexico after some delays caused by the immigration and visa processes.

Fr. Felix-Rosas felt a call to the priesthood when he was very young.

 Raised in a Catholic family in Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico, Fr. Felix-Rosas used to help in his hometown parish as an acolyte.

“It was not just that. I used to go and feed those most in need, and had a lot of contact with seminarians and priests. … That lifestyle always attracted me,” said Fr. Felix-Rosas

When he finished his high school studies, he considered a career as an electronic engineer, but he said he felt he would be missing something if he followed that path, so he entered the seminary on Sept. 18, 1995.

“That was a very special time of my life,” said Fr. Felix-Rosas.

On Jan. 29, 2005 Fr. Felix-Rosas was ordained priest by Archbishop Jose Ulises Macias, from the Archdiocese of Hermosillo Sonora.

“I was the first priest ordained from my parish [Parroquia del Perpetuo Socorro, Navojoa, Sonora]; my bishop at the time had heart surgery, so Archbishop Macias ordained me,” said Fr. Felix-Rosas. 

 He is one of only three priests to be ordained from his home parish.

Since his ordination, Fr. Felix-Rosas has had many assignments: parochial vicar, administrator, spiritual director, seminary instructor, pastor, vice chancellor and bishop’s secretary, all in Mexico.

His journey in Utah began in 2000, when he was still a seminarian. Father Clarence Sandoval, who was then pastor of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish in Logan, invited Fr. Felix-Rosas and two others seminarians to visit him. Those two other seminarians also became ordained priests and now serve the Diocese of Salt Lake City: Fr. Omar Ontiveros, administrator of Saint Joseph Parish in Ogden; and Fr. Manuel de Jesús Cerón, administrator of Saint Elizabeth Parish in Richfield.

After that Fr. Felix-Rosas visited Utah in his spare time, frequently giving talks and small reflections in different parishes.

“I am very happy to now be part of this diocese,” he said. “I have known several parishes, but never Saint Mary’s. It’s really an exciting time.” 

He is willing to learn from and with his new community, he said.

“I want to work guided by Fr. Herba [pastor of Saint Mary of the Assumption]; I want to serve in all my capabilities to the community,” said Fr. Felix-Rosas.“God gave all the tools so I could be here. The waiting was long but now I can tell them that there is always hope. These upcoming years – they should have hope and be joyful.” 

Diocesan Administrator Monsignor Bircumshaw said that “just meeting Fr. Rogelio gives one a very positive feeling that he will do well here in our diocese. His enthusiasm, kindness and talent are evident. He has already served in a wide variety of ministries in his home Diocese of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico and he does not come to our diocese as a stranger.  Several of our incardinated priests were classmates of his in Mexico and he spent a summer at St. Thomas Aquinas in Logan with Fr. Clarence before going into the seminary. I trust the good people of St. Mary of the Assumption in Park City will welcome him with open arms.”