Pastor Assignments/Father Rodelio Ignacio

Friday, Aug. 01, 2025

Father Rodelio Ignacio was born in Valenzuela City, the Philippines. He attended the University of Perpetual Help of Rizal, Immaculate Conception Major Seminary and UST Central Seminary, all located in the Philippines. 

He holds bachelor’s degrees in sacred theology and philosophy. On Nov. 15, 2008, he was ordained a priest by the Most Rev. Florentino G. Lavarias, Archbishop of San Fernando, for the Diocese of Iba, the Philippines. He served three assignments as parochial vicar in his home diocese, including one in which he also served as a school chaplain. Fr. Ignacio then served as a resident priest at a parish in the Philippines before coming to Utah in 2019.

 His first assignment in the Diocese of Salt Lake City was as parochial vicar of Saint Mary Parish in West Haven, then the same position at Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish in Park City and Saint Lawrence Mission in Heber. In 2022 he was assigned as administrator of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Sandy and chaplain of the parish school. Because of visa issues he returned to the Philippines in 2024. Since returning to Utah a few months ago, he has served as temporary administrator of Saint Martin de Porres Parish in Taylorsville, a position he held until Aug. 1, when he was once again assigned to Blessed Sacrament Parish.

 When he was young, his Catholic faith was not a priority, Fr. Rodelio said, but that changed when he was invited to join a Singer for Christ charismatic group that included devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

Before long, the devotion became intrinsic in his heart, he said.

“I talked to the Lord in Adoration and became close to the Lord,” he said. 

That devotion helped him discern a call to the priesthood. Originally, his family did not want him to follow that path, but “once I made my decision, my family was very supportive,” Fr. Ignacio said.

At the age of 27 he entered the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary in Bulacan; he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Iba in 2008.

In 2019 he came to the United States to visit a classmate who was serving in a parish in Wyoming. During that time, he met Bishop Oscar A. Solis and decided to apply to serve in the Diocese of Salt Lake City. 

“With the blessing of my Bishop [Bartolome G.] Santos, my application was accepted,” he recalled, but his ministry in Utah was interrupted because a delay in his visa renewal required him to go back to the Philippines.

Less than a year later his green card was approved, so two months ago he returned to Utah. 

“Now more than ever, and after all, I feel at peace because I believe that everything has a purpose,” he said. “God has always had a plan for me, and here I am.”

“I have been so blessed by the Eucharist,” he added. “I believe in the Holy Eucharist and want to share its beauty and grace with others.”

The Holy Eucharist can change lives, he said. “It happened in mine.”

To the Saint Martin de Porres parishioners, he said, “Thank you for sharing your spirituality with the community and with me.”

Returning to the parish in Sandy will be going home, he said. “Blessed Sacrament [Parish] is amazing, a very welcoming, a very loving community,” and it is the center and beacon of his priesthood life. “I am hoping to journey with them once again.”

Fr. Ignacio added that besides enjoying Adoration and prayer life, he enjoys a good walk.