Utah’s Brazilian Catholics celebrate their faith

Friday, Sep. 26, 2025

WEST JORDAN — The original St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in West Jordan was built in 1965 by members of its community, many of whom were immigrants who served in the mines. Since then, the parish has continued to open its doors to members of many ethnic groups seeking spiritual connection and fellowship. Among these is the Brazilian Catholic community, which maintains a vibrant faith presence despite just having one Portuguese-speaking priest in the Diocese of Salt Lake City. 

Every last Sunday of the month Father Francisco Pires, pastor of Saint Henry Parish in Brigham City and Santa Ana Mission in Tremonton, who is originally from Brazil, celebrates Mass in Portuguese for the Brazilian community at St. Joseph the Worker.

“Father Eleazar Silva, our pastor, graciously grants us the opportunity to celebrate this Mass at our parish,” said Pricila Vaz, a St. Joseph parishioner who, with her husband Cio, organizes the faith activities of local Catholic Brazilians.

“For us it is very important as Catholic Brazilians to follow the path of the Catholic faith here in Utah,” she said.

When people arrive in Utah from Brazil “it is very important that we show them that we are very involved in the Catholic faith so all we Brazilians keep our faith alive,” Vaz said.

“We have a very beautiful job,” she added, noting that they are always looking for ways to get all the Brazilians involved, such as baptism classes, family retreats, adoration, rosaries, a Christmas novena, and the Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Our Lady of Brazil) crowning and feast day celebration, among other festivities and activities that are conducted in Portuguese.

“We have an image of Nossa Senhora Aparecida who travels among our homes, and we also have another one that stays always at our parish,” Pricila said. “It is very beautiful that we can live our faith and our traditions here in Utah.” 

For almost five years “always in prayer and sharing, we have been celebrating our Catholic faith as a Brazilian community in Utah,” Pricila said inviting all the Brazilians who are interested in strengthening their Catholic faith and sharing moments of prayer and communion within the Brazilian community to approach them.

“All of our servers are Safe Environment certified, and we always follow the diocesan guidelines,” she said.  

Visit https://www.brasileiroscatolicosemsaltlake.com/ for information about the Brazilian Catholic community in Utah.