Church mourns priest's death
The Mary Mother of the Church community continues to mourn the death of Father Ricardo Garcia Jr., who served as pastor of the church.
Garcia, 49, died earlier this week in an apparent suicide outside the church rectory, the police report states.
Black wreaths have been placed on the two of the church entrances. A black wreath was also placed on the front door of the church office.
Garcia’s body was discovered in the rectory backyard around 7:30 a.m. Monday by a fellow priest. According to the police report, Garcia had hanged himself.
In the report, the fellow priest stated Garcia had sleep problems and respiratory problems. No suicide note was found, the report stated.
Cameron County Justice of the Peace Tony Torres pronounced Garcia dead, and an autopsy has been ordered.
“I ask everyone to pray for the repose of Father Ricardo Garcia’s soul, and that we continue to pray for his family during this time of great sorrow. We pray that the Lord grant them courage,” Daniel E. Flores, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, said in a statement Wednesday.
“This is a difficult time for the entire community as well and we are all left with many unanswered questions. We must place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ our Good Shepherd to lead us through this,” the bishop said.
A native of Edinburg, Garcia was ordained on May 22, 1992. He served as a priest at St. Mary’s Church since September 2007 and as judicial vicar of the Diocesan Tribunal.
Garcia previously served the parishes of Sacred Heart Church in Escobares, St. Anthony Church in Harlingen, Our Lady St. John of the Fields Church in Mission, Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Brownsville and St. Anne Mother of Mary Church in Pharr.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Home in Edinburg.
A funeral Mass is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Friday at Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine. Garcia will be cremated at Val Verde Memorial Gardens in Donna.
