Ecuadorian priest talked about death's unpredictability moments before getting fatally crushed by cross
The Catholic priest who was crushed to death by a crucifix during Mass was giving a sermon on the unpredictability of death moments before the tragedy.
Per a report by the New York Post, Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was preaching about the importance of making time for God and loved ones instead of spending too much time on distractions such as mobile phones while celebrating Mass at the Perpetuo Socorro Church in Guayaquil on Oct. 17.
"One day, all of us here will also die, and sometimes the time we’ve spent on things doesn’t have as much meaning as the time we spend with God,” he said. "The quality time we give to God, to our brothers and sisters, to our husbands, wives, children, and family—that time is the best spent.”
Sánchez asked God to bless the congregation before beginning another prayer, then the crucifix mounted behind him got detached from the wall and struck him on the head. The incident was captured in the church's livestream, which has since been taken down.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene, but the priest was later declared dead.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed Sánchez's death in a statement, saying that he "has left to the House of the Father to enjoy his presence and glory." It also expressed its "solidarity, affection, and love" for his loved ones.
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Sánchez was a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Roman Catholic religious order also known as the Redemptorists. He previously served at San Lorenzo Parish in Vinces, in Ecuador's Los Ríos province, where parish leaders also paid tribute to him.
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