Death of Bishop Jorge García Isaza, CM
Bishop Emeritus of Tierradentro, Colombia
Bishop Jorge García Isaza was born in Colombia on July 2, 1928. He did his high school studies in the Apostolic School of the Vincentian Community in Santa Rosa de Cabal and studied philosophy and theology at the Provincial House of the Congregation in Bogota. He was ordained on February 14, 1954.
He then studied Liturgy at the Saint Anselm Pontifical Institute in Rome. He exercised his priestly ministry in the following manner: professor at the Seminary of San Gil (Santander); professor and spiritual director at the Apostolic School of the Vincentian Community in Santa Rosa de Cabal; pastor of St. Vincent de Paul parish in Medellín; assistant provincial and member of the provincial council; superior and director of the theologate in Bogota; director of the Daughters of Charity in the Bogota Province; pastor of the parish of Jesus the Worker in Montería; pastor in Inzá, Tierradentro; spiritual director of the Major Seminary in Cochabamba (Bolivia) and rector of the Indigenous Seminary “Paez” in the Apostolic Prefecture of Tierradentro.
On May 5, 1989, John Paul II appointed him the Apostolic Prefect of Tierradentro.
Then, on February 26, 2000 the Apostolic Prefecture became an Apostolic Vicariate and Jorge García Isaza was named the first bishop of that area. He was ordained a bishop on March 26, 2000 and continued in that ministry until April 25, 2003 when he submitted his resignation to the Vatican.
He retired to Manizales to care for his mother and at the same time he provided ministerial services in the Parish of la Santisima Trinidad. In January 2009 his mother died and he returned to the community at the Apostolic School of Santa Rosa de Cabal as chaplain at the shrine of Our Lady. He was appointed superior of the community in Cali and director of the shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in October 2012.
One December 14, 2015 he suffered a heart attack and on July 29 of this year he was hospitalized in the clinic of Our Lady of the Redeemed. On August 16, 2016, he died. Let us pray for our deceased brother.
Translated: Charles T. Plock, CM
