In Pace Christi

On 29 May 2005, in a hospital of Torrevieja (Alicante), Bro. Pedro García García died. He had been suffering from heart problems for years. Bro. Pedro was born on 2 April 1946 at Orihuela (Alicante). He took his first vows on 2 February 1966 and his perpetual vows in June 1975.

He carried out his mission first in Ecuador (1974-1976), then in Mexico (1976-1982, 1987-1996), where he worked especially, with great commitment and efficacy, in the field of mission promotion. He also worked in Spain, his province of origin, in mission promotion at various periods: 1968-1974, 1982-1987 and from 1996, when his health allowed him.

Fr. Julio Roldán, a diocesan priest from the Canaries and friend of Bro. Pedro, when he heard of his death wrote him an open letter which sums up very well the personality and the spirit of this confrere of ours: “Dear Pedro, I heard the news that you have gone to the home of the Father. God has called you so that, from his side, you may continue to engage in mission promotion. None of us expected this so soon or so quickly. I therefore ask you to read, from above, these few lines which I write with emotion and gratitude.

“Among the many memories I have of you, the earliest go back to about 1984 when I was studying at the seminary of Palencia. At that time I was participating in some meetings organised by the diocesan vocations committee at your house at Puente D. Guarín.

“Right from those first contacts, I always admired your great ability for welcoming others, your simplicity and your availability.

Gradually a friendship was formed which involved my parents Julio e Mari Tere, and my sisters Maribel e Tere. You know we considered you one of the family, so much so that I took to calling you “Uncle Pedro”.

“Five years ago you saw close up the diocesan reality of the Canaries: you stayed for two weeks at “O. L. of Fatima”, at the time in which I was parish priest, in the suburbs of Pedro Hidalgo at Las Palmas di Gran Canaria. I was very fortunate to share such an experience with you.

“I was very struck by your desire to engage in mission promotion wherever you were. You always had some slides of Ecuador or Esmeraldas handy, to share your experiences. With or without the slides, your enthusiasm and the power of your words were enough to capture the images engraved in your heart, in which you felt the missionary pulse so strongly that you could not silence it.

“Your manner of living your consecrated life has always been an encouragement for my priesthood. In your reflections, which always began from constructive criticism, the desire emerged to build a church ever more faithful to Christ and his Gospel and a community ever more attentive to the social realities, to the poor and the needy.

“The proclamation of the Good News was so deeply rooted in you that, in spite of your poor health, you imagined you would return soon to the missions. Neither did you fail to deepen, strengthen and make more constant your theological and pastoral formation. So it was that your initiation into the world of information technology allowed us to have more frequent contacts by electronic mail.

“I Thank God for the great gift you have been. Thanks for everything. You left for your new appointment on May 29, the feast of Corpus Christi. The Risen Christ who had been your nourishment in the Eucharist, received you into his Kingdom with an affectionate embrace, full of peace and gentleness.         

“Pedro, we will always remember you for your life witness, for having given to my priesthood this missionary dimension, for having helped us live the faith without borders. Accept, Pedro, a strong brotherly embrace, together with that of the many people you have know, full of gratitude and affection.”
Da Mccj Bulletin n. 228 suppl. In Memoriam, ottobre 2005, pp. 43-46