Local priest keeps the Church in homes during pandemic

Friday, May. 29, 2020
Local priest keeps the Church in homes during pandemic
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Fr. Omar Ontiveros, pastor of Saint Ann Parish, and Angel Gabriel Leon present 'La Iglesia en Casa,' a weekly online show where people can interact through petitions and comments. Every week the show presents a different human value, prayer, entertainment and spirituality.
By Laura Vallejo
Intermountain Catholic

SALT LAKE CITY — As churches closed their doors to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fr. Omar Ontiveros felt the need to do something besides the online transmission of the Mass so that people would feel that the Church never left them.
“So I had the idea of doing something so people could feel more accompanied,” said Fr. Ontiveros, pastor of St. Ann Parish in Salt Lake City, who previously had a Spanish television program.
The result has been an hour-long online program in Spanish, “La Iglesia en Casa” (The Church at Home), which began a month ago. It is transmitted every Wednesday at 7 p.m. The shows are also recorded and archived so they can be accessed at other times.
“In the online show, we talk about themes related to values, family,” Fr. Omar said. “Every week we select a value and focus the show on it.”
Values such as patience, gratitude and communication have been presented.
“Through these uncertain times we need to have a lot of patience, be grateful and also have open communication,” Fr. Ontiveros said.
Angel Gabriel Leon joins Fr. Ontiveros each week. He is a religious educator at St. Marguerite Parish in Tooele and holds a bachelor’s degree in religious science. 
Fr. Rogelio Felix, administrator of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish, has joined the show via Skype, and Fr. Ontiveros plans to invite other diocesan priests to participate, he said.
During one show, a theme was how to manage anxiety and trust in God.
“It’s very important to identify what is taking away our peace; separate the things that are in my control and the things that we cannot control,” Leon said.
After sorting out things and working on what can be addressed, people need to search for God, he said.
“Being in prayer we find peace, and things start getting clearer,” Leon said. 
The show also includes prayer and some chats about God.
“We always acknowledge people that are connected, watching us, so we greet them and we also say the petitions that they ask us to pray for,” he said.
Fr. Ontiveros has more than 18,000 Facebook followers, so getting people hooked into the show required almost no marketing. Every week an estimated 2,000 people log into the program. 
Everyone is invited to join the show through Facebook.
“You can spend a spiritual, fun and entertaining moment,” Fr. Ontiveros said.
Jesus is always accompanying everyone, he said, and “We are here for them and with them. Let’s keep praying for all the people who have been affected by this virus.” 

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