ALFONSO VÁZQUEZ Alfredo (Brother) - Paraguay

Br. Alfredo was an approachable and service orientated religious, who lived his vocation to the consecrated life with love and integrity. God gave him a great and generous heart to treat people with humility and simplicity. His lifestyle always attracted attention.

For some time, he closely accompanied the Marian parish group called The Legion of Mary, both in the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Ciudad del Este and in the San José parish of Asunción. He joyfully and enthusiastically transmitted God’s presence in youth meetings and apostolic movements.

In the religious communities where he lived, he served as an infirmarian (nurse) caring for sick priests and brothers with great delicacy. I have news that he had attended a nursing course at the Paraguayan Red Cross in order to carry out a service in the Pastoral Healthcare in the best possible way.

He worked in the Betharramite Colleges providing pastoral care for the students and, at one point, he spent some time in the concierge of the San José College in Asunción, welcoming with a smile all those who came to the college. He also served as a postman for the community, by sending and collecting letters and parcels at the central Paraguayan post of ce for his brothers.

For a short time, he followed the seminarians of the minor seminary when Fr. Miguel Rigual scj was the Director of the Apostolic College.

I had the pleasure to know him personally, to live with him and to share with him the last stage of his earthly life in the religious community of Ciudad del Este from 2014 to 2017. I will always remember him with great affection because he was a man who would instil peace, joy and serenity to people, fruit of a life of prayer, faith, and grace.

At the age of 85, after 68 years of religious life, as a member of the religious community of Ciudad del Este, God called him to his Eternal Home on September 20, 2020.

Fr. Alberto Zaracho scj,
Regional Vicar in Paraguay