Dear 100-year-old priest dies on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

The Diocese of Albacete, located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, mourned the death of the beloved priest Fr. Ángel Lagunas Calderero, at 100 years of age, on the same day that the Church celebrated the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

“Today the Diocese of Albacete says goodbye to its centenary priest, Mr. Ángel Lagunas. And foundation of the history of our diocese on its 75th anniversary of its creation”, public the local Church on January 7, on its social networks.

His burial took place at 11:00 am (Spanish time) in the parish of La Asunción de Albacete, where the priest served for decades.

In another postthe diocese assured that the presence of Father Ángel was “a ‘stimulus’ of life, a breath of spirituality, and always pleasant company.”

Father Ángel was born in Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, on February 18, 1924 and was ordained a priest on February 21, 1948.

Throughout his life, he carried out different tasks in the diocese: he was parish priest of the Church of the Assumption in Albacete for 45 years, he introduced the Christianity Cursillo Movement (MCC), and he was canon of the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista. He was also diocesan counselor of the Youth of Catholic Action.

In an interview dating back to 2015, Father Ángel shared how his vocation was awakened: “Since I was little, my life was marked by the closeness to the Convent of Discalced Carmelites. I became an altar boy and, seeing my friends in the seminary, I felt the desire to follow their path and become a priest too.”

“My studies were going well, but I needed to think deeply before making the final decision. It was then when I began to collaborate with the Bishopric, which allowed the Bishop to get to know me before ordering my final vows,” he added.

Regarding his arrival in Albacete, he humbly related: “I remember that many of us were willing to help other dioceses in need, and after several procedures, Bishop (Arturo) Tabera invited me to join the Diocese of Albacete. Thus, my first destination was the parish of San José, but shortly after I was assigned the responsibility of the parish of the Assumption, where I was parish priest for many years, at a time when the new temple had not yet been built.

His pastoral life was a constant search for renewal and openness to the changes brought by the Second Vatican Council. “We dedicated ourselves to traditional pastoral activities, such as Catholic Action and night worship, but we also committed to new initiatives such as Cursillos in Christianity and Caritas, in order to respond to the needs of the people,” recalled Fr. Angel.

In his last years of service, Father Ángel was concerned about several challenges facing the Church. “I am concerned about the lack of priestly vocations, since many towns are left without priests. Also the family crisis, which is affecting many people. However, it gives me hope to see groups of Christians more committed and responsible than ever.”