Venerable Fr. Carlos Crespi Returns to MHC Shrine in Cuenca
(ANS – Cuenca, Ecuador – February 3, 2026) – Saturday, January 31, was a historic day of faith and gratitude in the city of Cuenca with the blessing of the chapel in memory of the Venerable Salesian Fr. Carlos Crespi Croci, and the final transfer of his mortal remains, which will now rest permanently in what was his home for many years: the city's Mary Help of Christians Shrine.
The Mass that
accompanied the transfer was presided over by Abp. Marcos Perez Caicedo of
Cuenca and was attended by members of the Salesian Family, ecclesiastical and
civil officials, as well as numerous faithful who gathered to accompany the “Apostle
of the Poor.”
In the context of the
feast of St. John Bosco, the celebration also had a special meaning for the province
of Ecuador, thanks to the simultaneous profession of perpetual Salesian vows by
Edin Oswaldo Villamar Franco, who thus consecrated himself definitively to God,
to the service of the Church, and to the Salesian mission.
After Communion, Fr.
Marcelo Farfan, provincial of the Salesians in Ecuador, together with the
Commission for Beatification, presented the mortal remains of the Venerable Fr.
Crespi to the archbishop. For over 40 years, these remains had rested in the
Patrimonial Cemetery of Cuenca, as a sign of gratitude for a life totally
dedicated to God and as a gift offered to the whole Church.
In an atmosphere of
profound silence, Archbishop Perez received the remains and, accompanied by the
celebrants, began the procession inside the church toward the new chapel. This
moment was marked by an intense expression of popular faith: many faithful
approached the coffin in tears, placing rosaries, images, and photographs on it
and invoking the intercession of the venerable Salesian, while remembering his
goodness and compassion, especially toward those most in need.
Once they reached the
chapel, a solemn blessing was celebrated for this space, conceived as a
permanent place of prayer, recollection, and spiritual encounter. The
sprinkling of holy water marked the consecration of the place, entrusting it to
God as a living memory of the gospel and a school of charity, in harmony with
the charism of Don Bosco.
Subsequently, the
Ordinary of Cuenca proceeded to place the mortal remains in the columbarium,
specially prepared for their dignified custody, emphasizing that holiness has a
place in the community and that the witness of Venerable Fr. Crespi will thus
continue to animate the faith of the believing people.
The ceremony
concluded with a communal prayer of thanksgiving, in which the life of Fr.
Crespi was remembered, a life entirely devoted to proclaiming the Gospel,
serving the poor, and accompanying young people.
With this event, the
Salesian Family of Ecuador reaffirms the deep spiritual bond between the Fr.
Carlos Crespi and the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians, and offers the Church
and the city of Cuenca a permanent place of prayer, inviting the faithful to
have recourse to his intercession and to keep alive the hope of seeing him soon
raised to the altars.
Angelica Almeida,
Secretary of the Commission for the Beatification of Fr. Crespi
No comments:
Post a Comment