The Diocese of Córdoba (Spain) has said goodbye with great emotion and words of tribute to Father Gaspar Bustos, who died at the age of 94 last Thursday, May 30, Corpus Christi Day, whom they consider a “holy priest” and “teacher.” of spirits.”
This was highlighted by Mons. Demetrio Fernández, Bishop of Córdoba, during the celebration of the funeral Mass held in the cathedral last Saturday. The temple, full of faithful and priests, was also attended by two other prelates from Cordoba: Mons. Francisco José Orozco, Bishop of Guadix, and Mons. Antonio Prieto, bishop of Alcalá de Henares.
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Mons. Fernández assured that “Don Gaspar has spent his life for the Seminary, for training priests, as well as for directing and accompanying so many aspirants to the priesthood”, which is why his body has been buried in the place where those who respond are prepared. to the priestly vocation.
“He has left traces of life and spirit, of holiness everywhere he has gone,” said the prelate, whose gift of counsel has been highlighted, “a gift of the Holy Spirit that abounded in him.”
“Don Gaspar has overflowed with love for the ministerial priesthood, that passion for the priesthood and the priestly vocation, since he encouraged, supported and accompanied the vocation masterfully, which is why he stands out in our time as a teacher of spirits and trainer of priests” he expressed. the bishop in his homily.
A life dedicated to having “many priests and saints”
Father Gaspar Bustos Álvarez was born in 1930 in the town of Villanueva de Córdoba (Spain). After living through the eventful years of the Civil War as a child, away from his family, he began to help in the parish with the altar service.
He soon felt the call to be a priest, but his mother denied him that possibility, since there were no resources to pay for the necessary training. A few years later the parish priest saw clearly that this was the path for little Gaspar, who at the age of 13 entered the minor seminary of Hornachuelos.
Ordained priest on June 26, 1955 and began serving in different parishes and as a counselor of Catholic Action. In 1962, he was named rector of the minor seminary, where he remained until 1970, when he took charge of the major seminary of the diocese.
His dedication to future priests was compatible with other tasks, such as that of episcopal delegate for Consecrated life, canon of the Cathedral, and diocesan counselor of Nocturnal Adoration. Since 1987 he spent his days in the spiritual direction of seminarians.
About future priests, the weekly Church in Córdoba collects, in special pages dedicated to the deceased priest, some words from Don Gaspar: “I suffer with them, I suffer with them, I help them as much as I can. I have dedicated my life to the priesthood and obedience that is the way of God and it turns out that this obedience coincided with what I had in my heart. “I have worked for what I have loved most: to have many priests and saints.”
Several bishops speak of the influence of Don Gaspar on their lives
In addition to the Bishop of Córdoba, Mons. Fernández, other prelates have expressed their feelings upon learning of the death of the nonagenarian priest from Córdoba.
“When I met him, more than thirty years ago, what impressed me most about him was that he was a man who lived in God, but who was also very immersed in reality. He was deeply supernatural and human, kind, close, he always knew how to understand you, read in your soul what God asked of each person,” says Bishop Antonio Prieto, Bishop of Alcalá de Henares.
The Bishop of Guadix, Mons. Francisco Jesús Orozco, has highlighted for his part that Don Gaspar “has been a father above all who knew how to accompany me during my seminary years and later he was my spiritual director.” In him, he has always found “firm support to live the priesthood in fidelity and intensity.”
For his part, the Archbishop of Burgos, Mons. Mario Iceta, who was under the spiritual direction of Don Gaspar for many years, has highlighted four notes of his personality: “he has been a priest of Jesus Christ.” a “disciple of Saint John of Ávila”, a “teacher of priests” and “one of the essential people in my life”.
“May the Lord reward him with as many gifts as we have received through him,” adds the prelate.
Nicholas de Cardenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish husband and father and journalist with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specializing in sociopolitical and religious information. I have worked for more than 10 years in defense of human rights and have accreditations in Journalism and Comprehensive Communication. Since July 2022, I have been a correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN Noticias in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.