The Mexican priest Francisco Núñez Martínez, 59, a member of the missionary servants of the Holy Trinity – consideration known as the Trinitarian missionaries – has been reported as missing.
Fr. Jaime Serrano, a member of the same congregation, confirmed to ACI Prensa that the priest left that day towards the state of Hidalgo to carry out documentary procedures; However, he never reached his appointment or returned to his home. “On Saturday and Sunday we knew anything about him,” said Fr. Serrano.
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According to statements of their relatives, collected by Televisa, After his stay in Hidalgo, the priest, also a pastor of “La Asunción de María” in Santa María Ajoloapan, Tecámac, State of Mexico, had planned to travel to La Noria, in the municipality of Tarimoro, Guanajuato, where some of his relatives.
Before his disappearance, the Attorney General of the State of Guanajuato has begun his search, since his last known destination was that entity. At the same time, the State Prosecutor’s Office also investigates the case, since its last registered location corresponds to that entity.
The Commission for the Search of the State of Mexico published its disappearance file on February 8.
Fr. Serrano asked the community to join in prayer for well -being and soon return from the priest.
Background of disappearance
It is not the first time that Fr. Núñez Martínez is reported as missing. In October 2020, the priest was located on December 1 in Guanajuato, days after being reported absent.
On that occasion, the local medium Millennium He informed that the pastor sent a message to his community ensuring that he was well and accompanied by his family. “Everything is fine, tomorrow night or Monday we will be back. Thank you for all your prayers, your support, concern, your love and for being part of my family, ”he said in his message.
The authorities continue with the search for the priest, while his community waits for his soon return.
The Multimedial Catholic Center (CCM), an agency that documes the violence against church members in Mexico, Report the disappearance of two priests. Fr. Santiago Álvarez Figueroa, of the Diocese of Zamora, Michoacán, has not been located since 2012. In addition, Fr. Carlos Ornelas Puga, of the Diocese of Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, disappeared on November 3, 2013.
Diego López Colín
I am a graduate of journalism at the Carlos Septién García school with experience of religious institutional communication. Since 2016 I write for digital media and, since 2018, I report the most important news about the Catholic event in Mexico for the Ewtn news channel. ACI Press correspondent in Mexico since 2023.