{"id":17099,"date":"2020-05-22T15:57:32","date_gmt":"2020-05-22T15:57:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssvmusa.org\/?p=17099"},"modified":"2020-05-25T14:37:10","modified_gmt":"2020-05-25T14:37:10","slug":"fr-jesus-morales-ive-returned-to-the-fathers-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ssvmusa.org\/index.php\/2020\/05\/22\/fr-jesus-morales-ive-returned-to-the-fathers-house\/","title":{"rendered":"+ Fr. Jes\u00fas Morales, IVE: Returned to the Father’s House"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Fr. Jes\u00fas Manuel Morales Gonz\u00e1lez, IVE died on May 19, 2020. He was ordained a missionary priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word in 2012 and was the first IVE priest from Spain.<\/h3>\n

We entrust his soul to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose faithful son he was.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Below is a letter written by Fr. Jos\u00e9 Vicchi, IVE, provincial superior in Spain.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

+ FR. JES\u00daS MANUEL MORALES GONZ\u00c1LEZ, IVE<\/h1>

Our first Spanish priest has returned to the Father\u2019s House<\/em><\/h4>
F<\/em>rom \u00a0<\/em>P. Jos\u00e9 Vicchi, IVE –\u00a0Provincial Superior, Spain<\/em><\/span><\/h5>

Fr. Jes\u00fas Morales is our first Spanish priest, born in Tenerife, Spain. Before entering the seminary he was in the special forces of the Spanish Army.<\/p>

He met our priests in Arico, Tenerife \u2013 in particular Fr. Benito Lagos who helped him discern his vocation. One time Fr. Jes\u00fas told me how he met Fr. Benito. When Fr. Benito celebrated Mass in El R\u00edo (Fr. Jes\u00fas\u2019 town), he would always expose the Blessed Sacrament half an hour before the Mass. One time, Fr. Jes\u00fas (still a lay man) was praying before the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. Benito went up to him and asked him:<\/p>

– Do you know who that is?<\/em> motioning to the monstrance.
– Of course!<\/em> He answered, It\u2019s Jesus Christ.
<\/em>– And Fr. Benito added firmly, He died for you.
<\/em>– I was speechless\u2026he (Fr. Jes\u00fas) told me.<\/p>

Later, Fr. Jes\u00fas told us that his vocational journey started then. He continued visiting Fr. Benito until he entered the Seminary. He was formed in the San Vitaliano Seminary in Segni (Italy). He always remembered the seminary as well as his formators and companions with great affection, including the people of Segni\u2026 \u201cSegni is my home<\/em>,\u201d he would say.<\/p>

He was ordained a priest on June 2nd<\/sup>, 2012, Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, by Cardinal Angelo Sodano. He was assigned to our community in Manresa (Spain) where he worked with great zeal and sacrifice until his death.<\/p>

In January of last year (2019), Fr. Jes\u00fas had a heart attack while he was bringing Communion to the sick, whom he served with great care. A month later, on February 22nd<\/sup>, he was diagnosed with cancer. From that moment he carried his illness courageously, without leaving his priestly apostolate of the spiritual care of the Parish of Our Lady of Vallduara (Manresa) as long as his medical treatments allowed it. It was remarkable how, even though very weak from his treatments, he tried to be on time for Mass and even prepared homilies in Catalan (local dialect) to preach to his parishioners.<\/p>

Today, May 19th<\/sup> at 9:00 AM, Fr. Jes\u00fas died having received Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum on several occasions. He has returned to the Father\u2019s House. God, in His infinite mercy, granted him the grace of perseverance: he celebrated the Mass up until shortly before his death and he died as a religious, a slave of love to Mary and in the land of his mission \u201cwith his boots on\u201d.<\/p>

I want to thank all the priests, religious, SSVM sisters and third order members of our dear Religious Family for all the prayers and sacrifices offered. I also thank all those who helped Fr. Jes\u00fas in one way or another. I am especially grateful to Fr. Mat\u00edas Vaylet (\u201cthe Monk\u201d as Fr. Jes\u00fas affectionately called him) who accompanied him during this time with exquisite charity. I give thanks to his community: Fr. Herrera and Br. Aleman; also to Francisca “Paquita”, member of our parish for all her selfless help and caring service to Fr. Jes\u00fas; to Don Roman Casanova, bishop of Vic, for his paternity and closeness, as well as to all the clergy.<\/p>

We pray for the eternal repose of our dear brother, Fr. Jes\u00fas and for the consolation of his family, particularly for his mother Secundina. May he remain in God\u2019s glory and may the Virgin Mary, to whom he sang so often with his poetry, accompany him.<\/p>

Fr. Jos\u00e9 Vicchi, IVE.
Manresa, Spain, May 19, 2020<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t