PATERSON, N.J. (OSV News) — If it weren’t for the late Father Rafael A. Ciro, Claudia Pinillos might not be a practicing Catholic.
The approachable personality — and relatable homilies — of this beloved priest from the Diocese of Paterson inspired her to “believe in Jesus.”
On the morning of Sept. 3, Pinillos joined the faithful from the diocese and beyond in bidding a tearful farewell to the Colombian-born Father Ciro during a funeral Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson. He died by suicide on Aug. 27. Father Ciro, 45, was pastor of St. Stephen Parish in Paterson at the time of his death, which shocked local Catholics, especially in the Hispanic community he served.
Bishop leads faithful in grieving priest’s death
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led the diocesan faithful in grieving the death of Father Ciro during the English and Spanish Mass in St. John’s, the mother church of the Paterson Diocese. He was the main celebrant and homilist. In his homily, the bishop called Father Ciro an “instrument of Christ’s peace and healing” who “died suddenly, tragically, too young and in an inexplicable situation we don’t fully understand.”
Outside St. John’s after the Mass on Sept. 3, Pinillos told BeaconNJ.org, the diocesan news outlet, that Father Ciro’s homilies were “beautiful and spiritual.” She met him when he was a parochial vicar of Sacred Heart and Holy Rosary Parish in Dover.
“Father Rafael’s homilies got to my heart. They resembled what I was going through in my life at the time,” said Pinillos, who was baptized a Catholic but did not attend Mass regularly. She also went to Father Ciro for confession and counseling for personal issues. “It’s because of Father Rafael that I started to have faith in Jesus.”
Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Sweeney were retired Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli of Paterson, who ordained Father Ciro in 2013, and numerous priests, including Father Ciro’s friends and Msgr. Geno Sylva, the cathedral’s rector and diocesan vicar for special projects. Many deacons assisted with the Mass, which included participation from the Knights of Columbus. Several priests served as pallbearers.
‘We come together in faith and prayer’
In his homily, Bishop Sweeney said, “We mourn, we are in pain, but we come together in faith and prayer, trusting in God’s great love and mercy, and the promise of everlasting life in heaven.”
Bishop Sweeney also spoke about the priesthood of Father Ciro, who, nourished by the sacraments and a loving family, responded to Christ’s call.
“He walked the journey with us. We give thanks for the priesthood of Father Rafael,” Bishop Sweeney said in his homily. “We commend him now into the loving and merciful hands of our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with the help of Mary, our Blessed Mother. We believe in Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life. May he rest in peace.”
In an Aug. 30 statement, Bishop Sweeney wrote, “Father Rafael was a faithful, joyful priest” who “fought the good fight in his struggles with mental illness with the support and care of friends, counselors, and brother priests.”
Catechism’s strong guidance
Bishop Sweeney also wrote that the Catechism of the Catholic Church provides strong guidance for grappling with the shock of Father Rafael’s death.
According to the catechism, “We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.” (2283).
Father Ciro is also survived by his mother, Doña Elena Guarin, and siblings, cousins and friends in Colombia, many of whom watched the livestream of the funeral. He will be buried in Colombia.
The late priest served the parish communities of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, St. Mary’s Assumption Parish in Passaic, St. Nicholas Parish, also in Passaic, and Sacred Heart and Holy Rosary Parish in Dover, before being appointed pastor of St. Stephen’s in Paterson.
Visitation for priest and vigil Mass
On Sept. 2, the night before the funeral Mass, St. Stephen’s held Father Ciro’s visitation and a vigil Mass, celebrated by Bishop Sweeney and concelebrated by more than 30 priests. Lucy Zapata, the priest’s secretary, wrote a reflection that Bishop Sweeney and Father Luis Hernandez, pastor of St. Christopher Parish in Parsippany and a close friend, read in English and Spanish. Father Hernandez also delivered his remembrances of Father Ciro.
During the Sept. 3 Mass, Bishop Sweeney repeated Father Hernandez’s message from the night before to people who might feel depressed or anxious or feel alone: You are not alone with Jesus accompanying you.
After the funeral Mass, Freylis Torres of St. Stephen’s called Father Ciro “the best person in the world.”
“Father Rafael fought for our parish, getting it on track. He brought more people into the church and closer to Jesus in the sacraments, even those who didn’t think they needed them,” Torres told BeaconNJ.org.
Michael Wojcik is the managing editor of BeaconNJ.org, the diocesan news and information outlet for the Diocese of Paterson in northern New Jersey. This story was originally published by BeaconNJ.org and is distributed through a partnership with OSV News.
