A Eucharistic Family on 500 North
On 500 North in Orem, Utah, the parish of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church opens its doors to a community that gathers daily in two languages at the altar. The parish describes itself in its mission statement as a "Eucharistic family, rooted in the teachings of Christ," called together to be nourished at His table and then sent out to live as His presence in the world "through humble service and joyful witness." That double rhythm of gathering and going out shapes everything at St. Francis, from the daily Mass schedule to the quinceañera rehearsals, youth retreats, and women's craft Saturdays that fill the parish calendar.
St. Francis of Assisi sits at 65 East 500 North in Orem and belongs to the Diocese of Salt Lake City. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The bilingual staff fields calls at 801-221-0750 and reaches out by email at parish@oremstfrancis.org. The Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi is being celebrated throughout the current pastoral year.
Mass in Two Languages, Every Day of the Week
Few things identify St. Francis as clearly as the daily rhythm of Mass in English and Spanish. The parish offers Mass every day of the week, with two distinct language tracks running side by side.
English Masses are celebrated Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday evening at 5:00 p.m. as the vigil Mass for Sunday, and on Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
Spanish Masses are celebrated Monday through Friday at 6:00 p.m., on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. as the Spanish vigil Mass, and on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Together those seven daily Masses make St. Francis a place where Catholics who work shifts, attend school, or live across the language spectrum of Utah Valley can find a regular hour to pray. A weekday Mass in the morning, a Spanish Mass in the evening, and two full sets of Sunday Masses in each language ensure that no one has to drive across town to find a familiar language at the altar.
Confession and Eucharistic Adoration
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish keeps a steady schedule of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration. Confessions are heard on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 4:30 p.m. to 5:50 p.m., and confessions can also be arranged by appointment through the parish office. The parish describes the sacrament as "a beautiful encounter with God's infinite mercy and healing love" and walks penitents through a step-by-step guide to the rite, from the greeting "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned" through the Act of Contrition to the prayer of absolution. A short examination of conscience is provided to help with preparation.
Eucharistic Adoration fills most of the daylight hours at St. Francis. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Small Chapel. On Thursdays adoration moves to the main church and continues from after the 10:00 a.m. Mass until 5:50 p.m. A monthly Hora Santa en Español, a holy hour with Eucharistic exposition, is offered in the church at 7:00 p.m. for Spanish-speaking parishioners.
For Catholics facing serious illness or the end of life, the parish also offers the Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites. Arrangements can be made by calling the parish office or by speaking with a priest after Mass.
Becoming Catholic: OCIA and the Spanish RICA
For adults who want to enter the Catholic Church, St. Francis runs two parallel tracks of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. The English track is called OCIA at the parish; the Spanish track is known by its traditional name, RICA.
The OCIA program is coordinated by Julie Boerio-Goates and meets in a welcoming weekly setting where inquirers, seekers, and candidates come together to explore the Scriptures, discover Church teaching, and build community. The journey walks through four phases: an Inquiry or Pre-Catechumenate for asking questions without commitment; a Catechumenate for formation in Catholic doctrine, prayer, and Scripture; a period of Purification and Enlightenment that typically takes place during Lent; and finally the Initiation itself, when the candidates receive the Sacraments of Initiation, Baptism if not already validly baptized, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist, at the Easter Vigil.
The OCIA path is designed for three kinds of adults: those who have never been baptized, Christians baptized in another Trinitarian tradition who want to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, and Catholics baptized as children who have not yet received First Communion and Confirmation.
The Spanish RICA track follows the same four stages and welcomes adults from any walk of life, with inquiries directed through the parish office and conversations with the Director de Formación Religiosa en Español, Luis Velasco.
Sacraments for Children and Families
St. Francis walks families through the early sacraments of childhood in both English and Spanish, and the parish makes the preparation process clear and orderly.
Baptism in English
For parents preparing to baptize children from newborn to age 15 in English, the parish requires a pre-baptismal class followed by a scheduled Saturday baptism. Classes are taught over Zoom by Faustino González, and the donation for the first class is $40. Parents register by email shortly before the class, and payment is handled through the parish's online giving platform. Godparents, whether a single Catholic sponsor or a man and a woman together, must present a copy of their Church marriage certificate if married or a Confirmation certificate if single. Once the parents and godparents have completed the class, one parent visits the office with the child's original birth certificate, both completion certificates, and the baptism information form, and the Saturday baptism is then reserved.
English baptisms are celebrated every Saturday at 10:00 a.m. except during Lent and on holy days. Families are asked to arrive on time and to sit at the back of the church near the baptismal font.
Baptism in Spanish
Spanish-language baptism preparation offers two tracks. Parents and godparents may attend an in-person class with Luis Velasco in Classroom 2 on the lower level, entering by the emergency door under the northeast side of the gym, or they may join the Zoom class with Faustino. The in-person class does not allow children to attend; families who need childcare must choose the virtual option. The donation is $40 and is paid by card on the day of the in-person class. Spanish baptisms are celebrated every Saturday at 9:00 a.m., except during Lent and on holy days.
First Communion and Confirmation
Faith formation in English for First Communion, typically starting in first grade, and Confirmation, typically starting in seventh grade, is run by Angela Robles, the parish's Faith Formation Director. Registration takes place in classrooms 3 and 4 on the lower level, with an $80 registration fee paid by cash, debit, or credit. Classes meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. and on Sunday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Parents are asked to bring the child's Baptism certificate for First Communion and both Baptism and First Communion certificates for Confirmation.
Spanish-language First Communion is offered starting at age six, with Confirmation preparation beginning at age twelve. Spanish-language First Communion and Confirmation classes for adults 18 and older are also offered, with a $50 registration fee and weekly Monday classes from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. beginning in early October.
Weddings and Quinceañeras
St. Francis of Assisi is a popular setting for Catholic weddings, and the parish keeps the same process in both English and Spanish.
Couples are asked to begin the process at least six months before their planned wedding date. To reserve a date, both partners bring their Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion certificates to an appointment with the pastor or a deacon, complete a registration form with the secretary, fill out a premarital questionnaire, and submit the names of two adult witnesses. The parish recommends Catholic Marriage Prep for online premarriage classes and accepts in-person classes as well. Couples not yet civilly married must apply for a county license two weeks before the ceremony, and they are encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before the wedding day. The parish also offers a clear rule about music: the choir is not included in the wedding fee, and a mariachi brought in by the family must know how to accompany the Mass parts with liturgical chant. The wedding fee is $500, and the parish asks couples not to reserve a reception venue until the church date is confirmed.
Quinceañeras at St. Francis are organized around the Mass of Thanksgiving and consecration to the Virgin Mary. A single required preparation class is offered each year on a Saturday afternoon in Classroom 2 on the lower level. The young woman and her parents bring her Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation certificates to the class, then visit the parish office with the certificate of completion to schedule the Mass. The donation for the celebration is $500, with a $250 deposit required to reserve the date. As with weddings, the choir is not included in the donation and is arranged separately.
Forming the Young Church
The parish gives a great deal of attention to teenagers and young adults, recognizing that a bilingual parish in a college town needs an active ministry for those in their teens and twenties.
St. Francis Young Adults, known as SFYA, brings together English-speaking Catholics between the ages of 18 and 35. The group gathers for a weekly men's and women's Bible study on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in a downstairs classroom at the parish, and supplements the study with monthly social events such as Catholic Coffee Club, game nights, and potlucks, organized through a GroupMe chat. The young adults also share updates on Instagram at @sfya.orem and can be reached by email at sfya.orem@gmail.com.
An English Youth Group serves youth between the ages of 14 and 17, with a focus on growing in the Catholic faith, building friendships, and engaging in social and service activities.
Bible Study and Small Communities
For adults who want to dig into Scripture between Masses, the parish offers several ongoing gatherings.
The English Adult Bible Study, for parishioners 18 and older, is a regular gathering for those who want to read, discuss, and reflect on Scripture together in English.
The Spanish-language Bible study meets on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in Classroom 4 on the lower level, beginning a new course each September. Participants are asked only to bring a Bible, a notebook, and a pen, and the group is open to anyone who wants to learn more about Christ through His Word.
Pequeñas Comunidades, or Small Communities, are the Spanish-language expression of small-group faith sharing at the parish, while Pescadores de Cristo is a Spanish-speaking community that meets every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the parish gym.
Women of St. Francis and the Knights of Columbus
Two long-standing lay groups anchor the parish's social and service life. Women of St. Francis is the parish's women's organization, led by President Yolanda Stewart and Vice President Socorro Espinoza. The group meets on the third Monday of each month in classrooms 3 and 4 on the lower level at 6:30 p.m. The women run a craft Saturday in late summer to make items for a December boutique and coordinate the sale of raffle and dinner dance tickets in the weeks leading up to the parish's annual St. Francis of Assisi Dinner Dance.
The Knights of Columbus is the parish's fraternal Catholic organization of men, with its council based at St. Francis. The Knights work alongside the parish's charitable and service activities, including an annual parish festival that fills the calendar in mid-September.
Liturgical Ministries Behind Every Mass
Each Mass at St. Francis is supported by a large corps of liturgical volunteers, and the parish lists them openly in both English and Spanish.
Lectors proclaim the Scriptures at Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist with the distribution of the Eucharist at Mass and bring Communion to the sick and homebound when ordinary ministers are not available. The parish coordinator for Extraordinary Ministers is Aarón Bartolo. Ushers, called ujieres or hospitality ministers in the Spanish track, greet worshippers and help with seating and the collection. Altar Servers assist the priest at the English Masses, with a parallel group of monaguillos assisting at the Spanish Masses.
A Jubilee Year and a New Rectory
St. Francis of Assisi is in the middle of a Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi, marked by a series of celebrations at the parish. A Jubilee Celebration with Fr. Garret is held in the church, including the blessing of animals on the Saturday of that weekend. A second Jubilee Celebration with Fr. Herald follows on a later weekend. The parish Dinner and Dance of St. Francis brings the community together in the parish gym, with proceeds supporting the parish's ministry and outreach.
Alongside these celebrations, the parish is raising funds to build a new rectory on the church grounds. The project is described as a way to ensure that the priests live on site, are readily available to parishioners in need, and have space to welcome visiting priests and seminarians. Contributions to the building fund can be made through the parish's online giving platform.
The Jubilee Year, the parish mission, and the practical project of building a new rectory together express what St. Francis of Assisi is at its core: a Eucharistic family sent out from the Lord's table to live His presence in the world.