The Commission of Theologians of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints unanimously recognized the heroic virtues of the Chilean priest Esteban Gumucio.
The news was known on Thursday, October 23 and implies progress in the cause of canonization of the Servant of God Fr. Esteban Gumucio Vives, of the congregation of the Sacred Hearts.
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“We have just learned the verdict of the Congress of Theologians in Rome: the opinion regarding the heroic virtues of Father Esteban Gumucio was unanimously positive,” explained Father Alex Vigueras, vice-postulator of the cause, with emotion.
The priest pointed out that this ruling marks a stage of great importance on the path to canonization and for Father Esteban to be declared venerable.
“The step taken by the theologians is very significant because they, as experts, carefully examine all of Father Esteban’s writings and documents, verifying that there is no theological error or contradiction with the doctrine of the Church,” he stated, considering that their unanimous judgment “reflects the solidity of Father Esteban’s testimony of faith.”
The next step is the analysis of the position —document that summarizes the research on heroic life and virtues—by the cardinals and bishops of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
If the verdict is positive, they send the Pope the recommendation to authorize, by means of a decree, that he be declared venerable.
From the congregation they assured that “this step fills us with hope: the life of Father Esteban continues to illuminate those who seek to serve with joy, simplicity and love”, while they gave thanks for his testimony and prayed that “his example continues to inspire so many people in Chile and Latin America.”
Who was Father Esteban Gumucio?
Joaquín Benedicto Gumucio Vives was born in Santiago de Chile on September 3, 1914, he was the fifth child born to the marriage of Rafael Luis Gumucio Vergara and Amalia Vives Vives.
He completed his primary and secondary studies at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones de Santiago, where he received his First Communion at the age of 7.
He discovered his religious vocation at an end-of-year high school retreat and the following year he began the canonical novitiate at the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
He professed his religious vows on March 12, 1933. He immediately began his studies in philosophy and theology. On March 22, 1936 he made his perpetual profession and on October 9 he received the diaconate from the hands of Mons. Rafael Lira Infante, who ordained him a priest on December 17, 1938.
He offered his pastoral service at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones de Valparaíso, at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones de Santiago, and six years later he was appointed superior of the community of Santiago. That same year he was appointed provincial superior for Chile and Peru.
After a new period at the College of Santiago, towards the end of 1955 he received the assignment of master of novices in Los Perales, at the same time that he took over as superior of the entire house.
At the end of 1963, Father Esteban settled in the João Goulart town of the commune of La Granja, in the south of Santiago, where the parish of San Pedro and San Pablo was erected shortly thereafter, of which he was the first parish priest.
Between 1985 and 1990 he was assigned to the San José parish, in the city of La Unión, in southern Chile, where he served as vicar and parish priest.
In 1990, at the age of 75, his health began to deteriorate and he returned to Santiago due to medical advice, where he put himself at the service of the San Pedro and San Pablo parish and the Damián de Molokai parish.
In May 2000, a pancreatic tumor was detected, which caused his death a year later, on May 6, 2001, at the age of 86.
The fame of holiness of the Servant of God Esteban Gumucio had begun long before his death. Many people used to consider him a “holy man.” This led the then Archbishop of Santiago, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz, to propose that Fr. Esteban’s body be transferred from the Catholic Cemetery to the San Pedro and San Pablo parish.
The beatification process of Father Esteban began on May 20, 2010 in Santiago.
Juliet Villar
I am a journalist, with a degree in communication from the National University of La Matanza in Argentina. I have work experience in non-governmental organizations. Since 2016 I have been dedicated to Catholic journalism, first at the Argentine Catholic Information Agency (AICA) and, since 2022, as ACI Prensa correspondent for Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Bolivia.