Fr. José Luis Segura Lacruz

Father José Luis Segura Lacruz was born on May 7, 1927 and was 94 years old. He took his first vows on January 1, 1948 and was ordained priest on September 28, 1952.

He was currently living in Mariara (Venezuela). He belonged to the Region VEN.

Venite ad me, omnes qui laboratis, et onerati estis: et ego reficiam vos. (Mt 11,28)

On November 12, at 11:00 p.m, our dear Father Jose Luis Segura passed to the Father’s House, at the age of 94.
“For ,me, it is good to be with God” (Ps 72:28). This is the first quote written by Fr. José Luis in his letter called “Lights on the way”, which he sent me more than a year ago. In this writing, his own words “old people’s stuff”, says: “When we are walking with years behind us in that stage, which some poetically call “the sunset of life”, others, in the world of sports and speed lovers, “the final stretch”, we believers say that the call to enter “the Father’s house” is approaching.
He goes on to say: “This more serene and reflective stage has allowed me to discover and savor texts from the Holy Bible, the Divine Office, teachings of Saints or people very close to God, which I used to read and go through quickly and superficially. I have been writing down in a notebook the texts that have been moving me the most to review them slowly. They have been for me the lights on the path of my life… He sends this letter especially to all the religious who are in their third age, saying: “You have all lived with me in Spain or Venezuela and it is normal that I remember you more”. Why do I send it to you? Well, because, as St. John Chrysostom says in one of his homilies: “To communicate spiritual things to one another is a sign of fraternal love, of intimate kinship and sincere affection”.
Other books that Fr. José Luis left us are “Goodness goes out to meet”, “Giving flowers”, “Important people”, “Splendor in the sunset”, “Visiting the sick” and “Key of humor”. The first five deal with his pastoral experiences with the sick, the elder,ly, and other wonderful people he visited in the parishes; poor and humble people who were a gift to him, important people whose gaze captured the goodness of God in them. They help us to discover the beauty of the apostolate of family visits among poor and humble people. All his writings bear the imprint of the simplicity of José Luis, the look of faith of a person deep in prayer, making us see people as a gift from God.
Fr. José Luis Segura Lacruz was born on May 7, 1927, in Novelda (Alicante), son of Francisco Segura and Maria Lacruz. He had two sisters, Rosario and Mar,ia, and a brother Francisco, all deceased. Fr. Ángel Volcán, Superior of the Mariara community where José Luis was, through WhatsApp has kept in touch with his nieces and nephews at all times, especially in this last period of his illness. José Luis has also communicated with them by this means. To all of you my closeness and that of all the religious.
He made his novitiate in Vera de Bidasoa (Navarra) in 1946 and made his first profession on January 1, 19,48, in the same city. His perpetual profession took place in Salamanca on January 1, 1951. In the same ci,ty, he received the diaconate on July 6, 19,52, and the priesthood on September 28, 1952.
He did his theology studies in Salamanca and also in the same civil university of Salamanca he obtained a degree in Chemical Sciences.
In Spa,in, he worked in various communities: Salamanca (1953-1957), Puente la Reina (1958-1961), Madrid II (1962-1965), Puente la Reina (1965-1967), Novelda (1968-197,2), and Madrid I (1973-1975). He was Provincial Superior from 1962 to 1965 and Provincial Councilor from 1965 to 1968. He also taught in different schools.
In 1976 he arrived in Venezuela and his first assignment was in Mariara (1976-1980). He then worked in the communities of the Parish of “San Miguel Arcángel” – Caracas I (1981-1984), Seminary P. Dehon-Caracas II (1985), San Carlos (1986-1987), Valencia (1988-1991), Caracas I (1992-2007), Valencia (2008-2011), San Carlos (2012-2018) and Mariara (2019-202), the community where he died. He was Regional Superior from 1983 to 1986. In the communities through which he passed, he dedicated himself above all to parish pastoral activity, dedicating himself with great care to the pastoral care of the sick.
I thank the community of Mariara: all of you, distributing different tasks, have known how to become brothers and close to Fr. José Luis, without neglecting him at any time, gestures that, on the other hand, Fr.
José Luis, you leave a beautiful mark on the Province of Spain and the Region of Venezuela, in prayer, simplicity, faith, availability, gratitu,de, and attention to the needy and sick.
We pray that the mercy of the Lord will reach you and purify your weaknesses. May Our Lady and St. Joseph intercede for him, to whom he was so devoted.
May the perpetual Light that he announced and served with joy throughout his life shine for him.
Rest, Brother, in the peace of the Heart of Jesus and present us before Him every day.