The new season of 'Enciende Tu Luz' is here

Intermountain Catholic

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Father Omar Ontiveros, pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Salt Lake City, hosts the television program Enciende Tu Luz. IC photo/Laura Vallejo

WEST VALLEY CITY—‘Enciende Tu Luz’ will begin its new season on Nov. 19 at 6:30 a.m.

The locally produced, family-oriented, Spanish-language television show features presenters talking about the Catholic faith.

It is transmitted locally on Channel 23 and through Comcast Channel 123. The show also airs through ‘El Sembrador’ in California, which transmits the signal to different parts of Central and South America.

For the new season, host Father Omar Ontiveros, who also is pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Salt Lake City, will be joined by two parishioners of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, Karina Del Castillo and Sandra Medrano. Both are lay ministers and participants of the Emaús program, which is preparation for certification as lay ecclesial ministers.

"We are going to have a section called ‘Women of Faith (Mujeres de Fe),’ in which Karina and Sandra are going to talk about the importance of our Catholic faith nowadays; the role that Catholic women have in our faith is very important," said Fr. Ontiveros.

‘Enciende tu Luz’ has also a segment focusing on the Gospel and another for the weather; this one is particularly special because the weather is reported with a game of words illuminated with what God says.

The show is also a good way of following the Year of Faith in which Pope Benedict XVI invited all to live the faith more deeply, Fr. Ontiveros said. "This is a way of responding to the call of our Church in a format of a new evangelization."

Del Castillo agreed with Fr. Ontiveros and expresses her joy and excitement for the show’s new season.

"God has given me his love and we can’t just keep it; we have to share it," she said, adding that evangelizing through the TV show reaches people who might not be able to go directly to their parishes.

"For diverse reasons people can’t go to their churches and now they will be able to hear and to see us and we will be able to reach them," said Del Castillo, who prepares every day for the show.

"Before I present a subject in the show I study it and then I meditate on it through the payer," said Del Castillo, who is very aware that she has to be an example of the Catholic faith.

"We have the commitment to transmit what God says, not what we think or feel about something, and that is a great challenge," said Del Castillo.

Fr. Ontiveros and Del Castillo invited all the people to turn on their televisions at 6:30 a.m. every Monday to watch ‘Enciende Tu Luz.’

"Give us the opportunity to get in your houses to open your hearts," said Del Castillo.