A TV show to light your day

Intermountain Catholic

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Father Omar Ontiveros

WEST VALLEY CITY — A television show produced and directed by Father Omar Ontiveros, pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Parish in West Valley City, is among the offerings on the first Catholic Spanish-language channel in the United States to be created and managed by Hispanic immigrants.

Fr. Ontiveros’ program, "Enciende tu Luz," began broadcasting about a year ago on "El Sembrador Nueva Evangelización."

ESNE programs reaches 17 different countries in Latin America and Europe. Among the countries that air the program: Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Costa Rica, and Spain.

The motivation behind "Enciende tu Luz" is to be able to communicate a message of faith, to educate about Christian and human values and, most of all, to be able to communicate with the community with a family show that educates as well as entertains.

"The show is an entertainment one but at the same time we talk about the Gospel," Fr. Ontiveros said. "We have cooking lessons, music, weather reports, a youth section and a marriage section."

"Enciende tu Luz" is a half hour show that is recorded in a studio located in West Valley City, just a few blocks from Saints Peter and Paul Church.

For the moment the program is not aired in Utah, but Fr. Ontiveros hopes one day it will be.

"Right now we have some sponsors who have helped us with the equipment, but we still need more help to be able to transmit it in Utah," he said.

The show is produced, directed, recorded, and presented with a team of four people, including Fr. Ontiveros.

Carmen Marrufo co-conducts the show with Fr. Ontiveros. She also is in charge of the segment that specializes in marriage. In addition, she takes care of the cooking section.

Gloria Marrufo, Carmen Marrufo’s daughter, is in charge of the youth section.

"The show has a feeling of a morning show in which you see cooking recipes, weather reports, but in which we play with the words so instead of just entertaining we are educating about our faith," said Fr. Ontiveros. "We have received letters from people from Guatemala, Honduras, and from different places telling us that they watch the show and that they like it."

Besides the TV show, Fr. Ontiveros broadcasts a 25-minute radio show three days a week.

"Bendiciendo tu dia" began its second season last week.

The Spanish Sunday Mass at Saints Peter and Paul Parish also is transmitted every Sunday at 1:30 on "La Favorita," 104.7 FM.

"This will benefit all the people that can’t come physically to Mass either because they are sick or working," Fr. Ontiveros said.

To support "Enciende tu Luz’s" efforts to be transmitted locally, contact Fr. Ontiveros at 801-966-5111.