After 20 years, Saint Andrew Parish prepares to build a church in Daybreak

Friday, Aug. 01, 2025

RIVERTON — Saint Andrew parishioners have never had a church in which to attend Mass. When the parish in Riverton was established in 2006, Mass was celebrated in the rectory. As the congregation grew, the founding pastor, Father Francisco Pires, moved celebration of the Mass to the Megaplex Theaters in South Jordan. Since the parish school opened in 2008, Mass has been celebrated in the gymnasium.  

Now, however, the parish community has taken the next step: On July 19 they revealed the plan for a church that will be located on a 10-acre lot on the corner of Kitty Hawk Road and Lake Avenue in Daybreak, across the street from a park and just west of the Mountain View Corridor.  

At the July 19 meeting of the parish community during which architectural plans for the church were revealed, Father Joseph Delka, St. Andrew’s current pastor, announced that they “are ready to start expanding the vision for our church building.”

St. Andrew’s was established with 15 parishioners “a priest and a vision for the foreseeable growth in this part of the valley,” Fr. Delka said. 

 Since then the community has grown substantially, he said, and “through the generosity and grassroots efforts of our parishioners” the parish building fund has acquired enough money to begin the project. 

Additional funding came from the pending sale of diocesan properties in Bluffdale, Herriman and West Jordan, and from a donation from an anonymous benefactor, he said. 

“As we proceed with this project let us remember the words of our patron Saint Andrew: ‘We have found the Messiah!’ Let this be our message to the world and let us convert this message through stone, wood, metal and glass,” Fr. Delka said. “We have the opportunity to build something that will tell the story of salvation to all who enter.” 

The church will be not just for Saint Andrew’s community but for the wider community and for the generations to come, he said, adding that it will be a place to celebrate the sacraments. 

“It will be a place where new life in Christ is poured out in baptism; where a man and a woman are joined by God in a lifelong and life-giving bond of marriage; where the souls of our departed loved ones are commended to God; where our children can know and experience that they have a place in the heart of Jesus and be inspired to follow him,” he said. 

 “Keep in mind that we still have a lot of work to do in the weeks, months and years ahead,” he said. “All of us will have to be involved. Your continued prayers and contributions through time, talent and capital are genuinely appreciated.” 

Among those at the July 19 event was longtime parishioner Linda Quintana Goffauf, who said she was excited about the news of the project and plans to participate as much as she can. 

 “When my husband and I moved here we didn’t have a church, but when Fr. Pires came I used to go to Mass in what was his basement, and I have been here ever since,” she said. “But now we will have our own parish building and that’s really exciting.” 

Saint Andrew, one of the first apostles, has been a pillar in her life, Quintana Goffauf said. “St. Andrew is a way to be led to Jesus. I have always wanted to emulate Saint Andrew, to follow him. … He was truly a man of God and that’s what we do in our parish: bring everyone together and bring them closer to God.” 

 Gathering as a faith community is important these days “because our world is so secular now,” she said. “People have lost the concept of being kind and loving to all, and that is what we do here. We are open to anyone that wants to come. One of our goals is to always be welcoming.”

Donations to the building fund for St. Andrew Catholic Church may be made at www.givecentral.org/appeals-form-registration/acp687e9e952c4d4/user/guest