THE DIOCESE OF RIO GRANDE

and The Church in the City of El Paso

Bishop Jose Antonio Santiago RIP

October 10, 2009

The death has been announced of the Right Reverend Jose Santiago, Bishop of the Diocese of the Rio Grande. He died in his home country of Puerto Rico, to which he moved after being obliged to give up his work owing to serious  ill-health.

Bishop Santiago achieved a great deal during his ministry in El Paso, building up his congregation at the Church of St Francis to the point where several hundred people could be expected on a Sunday. He and his team of assistants also created within the church building a notable social welfare service for the poorest in the area. Another major achievement was the founding of the mission church of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the edge of the city. What started as a humble building has been enlarged and enriched over the years, and since the unfortunate loss of the church of St Francis it has become the centre of parish activity, attracting a large regular congregation.

Since Bishop Santiago's retirement the Diocese of the Rio Grande has been brought within the patrimony of the Archbishop, with Fr Danny Flores as priest in charge of the El Paso mission.

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