Cardinal Luis Cabrera, archbishop of Guayaquil in Ecuador, has announced a safety plan aimed at preventing accidents such as the one that claimed the life of Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari, who was killed when a large crucifix broke loose from the sanctuary wall behind him and struck him on the head as he said Mass.
The cardinal expressed his gratitude to those who “showed their solidarity through prayers and expressions of affection and appreciation for the community” of the Redemptorist priest, the pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, who passed away on Oct. 17.
“As a security measure, and in coordination with the fire department and other state institutions, we will proceed with a technical inspection of the structures of churches and parish buildings, as well as the mountings of religious objects that could potentially cause similar injuries,” Cabrera explained during an Oct. 28 press conference held in anticipation of the Mass marking the 100th anniversary of the feast of Christ the King, which he will celebrate on Saturday, Oct. 31.
Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari. | Credit: Archdiocese of Guayaquil
“Accidents are not planned; they are chance occurrences … Some can be logically foreseen, and appropriate precautions can be taken to avoid them,” he added, noting that “there are 161 parishes, and each parish must ensure that its structures are in good condition.”
On Thursday, EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, was told that the archdiocesan technical department, in collaboration with the fire department and other experts, will review the structural, electrical, water flow, and technical aspects of each parish.
This will be done, the archdiocese explained, according to the availability of the parish priests who will be present for the inspection, taking into account that with Advent approaching, there is an increase in church activities.
What will happen to the cross that fell on Sánchez?
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish told EWTN News Español that the cross that fell on Sánchez has not been put back up. “What the media are saying is false,” the parish noted, referring to some reports stating that the crucifix had been returned to the wall where it had previously hung.
Father Pedro Calle, a Redemptorist priest who was in Guayaquil to participate in the novena for Sánchez, told EWTN News Español on Oct. 29 that whether or not the crucifix is put back up “depends on the new parish priest who will be assigned. It is a matter of time and internal organization.”
El Niño phenomenon
At the press conference, Cabrera also addressed the El Niño weather phenomenon that is wreaking havoc in Guayaquil with heavy rains. According to the National Secretariat for Risk Management, it is estimated that 32,000 people have been affected by the rains.
The cardinal stated that each parish has “a team of volunteers ready to assist those in need. Furthermore, in each of the seven episcopal vicariates, locations have been designated for the collection of food and other supplies.”
A collection taken up at the Mass on Saturday, Oct. 31, will assist those affected.
The 100th anniversary of the feast of Christ the King
On Oct. 31, Cabrera will celebrate the Mass to commemorate the feast of Christ the King, established 100 years ago by Pope Pius XI, which left a lasting mark on life in Guayaquil and led to the custom of the faithful adorning their balconies with an image of the Lord and the flag of Ecuador.
Cardinal Luis Cabrera at an Oct. 28, 2026, press conference stands before an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which he blessed and which will be present at the Mass on Oct. 31. | Credit: Archdiocese of Guayaquil
In Ecuador, this feast is celebrated with the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to whom the country was consecrated on March 25, 1874, a consecration that was renewed this June. Ecuador was the first country in the world to be officially consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the conclusion of yesterday’s press conference, Cabrera blessed the image that will be displayed during Saturday’s Eucharist.
This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English
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