A Catholic priest has spoken out against speculation that the death of a fellow clergyman who was killed when a crucifix fell on top of him during Mass was a punishment from God.
Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari was leading a mass in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Saturday, when the crucifix above him came tumbling down on top of him and struck him in the head.
The mass was being livestreamed at the time, so footage of the death quickly went viral, with one post receiving more than 12 million views as of Wednesday.
The shocking circumstances of Father Sánchez Molinari’s death have led some people online to ask whether it was “divine punishment,” but Father Juan Carlos Vásconez, priest and rector of the San Josemaría Escrivá church in Guayaquil, has said he does not believe this is the case.
“In the face of death, there is a message of equality. Life is fragile, and we will all go through that moment,” he told Spanish-language Catholic news outlet EWTN News Español.
To make his case, Father Vásconez invoked the Biblical story of the Tower of Siloam, which killed 18 people when it collapsed in Jerusalem. In the Gospel of Luke (13:4-5), Jesus says: “Those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
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Some of the online comments Father Vásconez was responding to were from people asking questions in trying to make sense of the tragedy, while others argued that Father Sánchez Molinari’s death was an act of divine judgment.
One account commented on a video of the death, asking “divine punishment?” while another commenter said: “Doesn't the precision seem weird to you? You don't fall short or go too far; it lands right on the head.”
American commentator Juliana, a MAGA supporter who has 10,000 followers, said in a post: “However you interpret this incident, this is not ordinary; read the Old Testament and see what happens when God is angry with those he has chosen to lead his people. This cross couldn't have fallen at any other time, and it couldn't have missed the target; obviously, God is angry with humanity. R.I.P. Priest. Patricio Sanchez!”
What Happened to Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari?
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil on Sunday confirmed in a post on social media that Father Sánchez Molinari had died, which said: "We announce that our beloved Fr. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, CSsR., who served as parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in the Central Vicariate, has departed for the Father’s House to rejoice in His presence and glory."
The statement continued: "Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen."
Father Sánchez Molinari’s family have demanded an investigation into the circumstances around his death, the Ecuadorian newspaper El Comercio reports.
“It may be God’s will, but an investigation should be carried out in Guayaquil because what a coincidence that the crucifix fell on his head during Holy Mass,” a relative said, according to a translation of the quote.
Father Vásconez has also called for objects installed in churches to be inspected to check that crosses and statues are securely attached. “These are security issues that this type of event also draws our attention to,” he said.
Who Is Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari?
Details about Father Sánchez Molinari are sparse. He was the parish priest of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, and part of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, founded in 1732 by the Italian St. Alphonsus Liguori. The congregation generally focuses on serving poor, isolated communities.
Father Sánchez Molinari was assigned to downtown Guayaquil and had worked in Vinces, Los Ríos Province before, according to local outlet Guayaquil News.
The priest livestreamed Masses from his own social media profiles and YouTube channel.
Father Sánchez Molinari Was Talking About Death In His Last Sermon
In his last sermon, moments before the crucifix fell, Father Sánchez Molinari was talking about the importance of spending time with God before death.
"In all activities, except for the things that are truly important, and the most important thing is always the Lord. He must come first, He must be present in that right encounter, and He must be present in that time, in the space that we give to the Lord," Father Sánchez Molinari said, according to a translation by the Costa Rican outlet CR Hoy.
"Dear brothers, one day all of us who are here will also die, and sometimes the time we have used on things does not have as much meaning as the time we use in God," he said. "In that time we give quality time to God, to our brothers, to our husband, to our wife, to our children, to our family; that time is the best spent."
"Dear brothers, that is why the Lord says, 'What is Caesar's, belongs to Caesar, and what is God's, belongs to God," Father Sánchez Molinari said.
"Let us give Him that time, that space, that He may always be present in every moment of our lives," he said. "May God accompany us, may God help us throughout this week, and may He choose all our activities."
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Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Matthew Cannon, Gray R. Thomas