Fr. Paulraj Rayappa joins priests in Diocese of Salt Lake City; will serve as hospital chaplain

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Father Paulraj Rayappa

SALT LAKE CITY — A cradle Catholic, Father Paulraj Rayappa was given the inspiration to become a priest by his parents, said the newest priest to arrive in the Diocese of Salt Lake City.

Born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, the youngest of four brothers and one sister, Fr. Rayappa entered the seminary immediately after he graduated from high school.

“For 12 years I did my formation,” said Fr. Rayappa, who holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the Krishna College of Education as well as a bachelor’s in civil law from Sri Venkateswara University in Tiupathi, India.

He was ordained to the priesthood on April 18, 2004 by the Most Rev. Dr. George Antonysamy for the Archdiocese of Madras Mylapore.

Being a priest is a blessing, he said. “I love to serve the people in their spirituality.”

After his ordination he served as the associate pastor of a parish in his home archdiocese. He also served as executive secretary to the archbishop, and as pastor of three different parishes, all in India.

“I always had the desire to have different experiences in my ministry,” he said, recalling that his special assignments have including serving as a secretary for the archdiocesan commission for evangelization, executive member of the archdiocesan cemeteries board, manager at a matriculation school, member of the archdiocesan priest council and chaplain, among others.

That motivation to have different experiences pushed him to apply to minister in the Diocese of Salt Lake City, where he arrived at the end of May.

“This is my first time outside of India,” Fr. Rayappa said, adding that he has been impressed by the welcoming community of the diocese.

In the coming weeks, Fr. Rayappa expects to become more culturally acclimated to Utah and to get to know the community better.

“Here is a totally different experience than from India,” he said. “The community participation in the liturgy in the last few days has impressed me.”

When the new priest assignments take effect in August, Fr. Rayappa will serve as chaplain for the University of Utah Hospital, Primary Children’s Hospital and Huntsman Cancer Hospital. In the meantime, he is assisting Fr. Jorge Roldan Sanchez at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Salt Lake City.

“I want to walk together towards God with the community,” he said.

“Because of the numerous degrees that Fr. Rayappa has earned over the years from 1994 to 2017, we are confident that Fr. Rayappa will continue to build on the foundation that was laid by Saints Peter and Paul as he reaches out to a wide variety of people here in the Diocese of Salt Lake City,” said Father Ken Vialpando, diocesan Vicar for Clergy.

Fr. Rayappa speaks Tamil, English, a little bit of German and he is learning Spanish.