The covid and our elders
Unfortunately, the terrible pandemic has taken many of our elders. The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts he has lost Jesús Merino, Álvaro de Luxan, Pedro Cerdan, Jesús Castillo, Santiago Ángulo and Manuel García Ripado. Father Jesús Castillo is especially loved by the Sagrados community in Barcelona.
The Father Jesus Castillo whom many of you, former students, teachers and parents, have known for many years at school in Barcelona, died last January 7, at the Santiago Apóstol Hospital in Miranda de Ebro.
P. Jesus was born on January 29, 1928 in Villanueva de Teba (Burgos). Entered the Apostolic School of the Sacred Hearts of Miranda de Ebro (Burgos), from where he went on to do the novitiate in El Escorial (Madrid). There he made his temporary profession as a religious of the Sacred Hearts on October 12, 1946, adopting the name of Victor, with which many people knew him, although years later he recovered the name of Jesus. He studies ecclesiastical studies in the School of the Sacred Hearts: philosophy in El Escorial and theology in Miranda de Ebro.
On September 29, 1951 he made his perpetual profession in Miranda de Ebro and on September 13, 1953 he was ordained a priest in El Escorial. Between studies of philosophy and theology, he spent two years as a teacher at the Colegio de los Grados Corazones in the neighborhood of Argüelles, in Madrid.
In 1954 he was assigned to the community of Miranda de Ebro and worked as a teacher at the School of the Sacred Hearts. In 1968, he moved to Barcelona, to also work at the Colegio de los Grados Corazones on Avenida de Vallvidrera, where he stayed for thirty years. In addition to classes at school, during those years he devoted a lot to pastoral work with children and adolescents, collaborating in the organization of camps and sports activities both school and extracurricular. He organized one of the first indoor Fútbol championships in Barcelona, which he was a true pioneer in, championships that still last at the school.
From this stage at the school in Barcelona, many of us remember the welcoming, familiar and close Father Jesús. He had a special gift to know if you needed help and there he always was. It transmitted the essence of the Congregation of closeness, proximity and brotherhood. He taught many of us to love the school and the Congregation and he was like a magnet that you noticed that attracted you and developed a sense of belonging and identity. Belonging and identity, which are two fundamental aspects for those of us at school, he barked.
In September 1999 he was assigned to the community of the Parish of San Braulio in Madrid and a year later to the community of Miranda de Ebro, where he lived until the day of his death.
P. Jesus leaves us the memory of a good person and a good religious man who cared about people above all, and especially students.
Father Jesús Castillo ss.cc rest in peace Father.
