(Photo: Courtesy of the Ortiz-Garay Family)
(Photo: Courtesy of the Ortiz-Garay Family)
(Photo: Courtesy of the Ortiz-Garay Family)
(Photo: Courtesy of the Ortiz-Garay Family)
(Photo: Courtesy of the Ortiz-Garay Family)
While his parents and siblings sang in Spanish the words of St. Paul — “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” — the casket containing Father Jorge Ortiz-Garay was lowered into the ground in Mexico City.
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Forty-one days after his death, due to complications from COVID-19, the body of Father Jorge arrived in Mexico.
It was the end of a long journey, from Brooklyn back to his family, that required the concerted efforts of many — church officials, civil authorities both in Brooklyn and Mexico City, and Delta Airlines.
DeSales Media, parent company of The Tablet, led the transportation effort to return his body amid the public health regulations of the current pandemic.
The body of Father Jorge departed from New York to Atlanta Sunday, May 3, on its way to Mexico City. After a three-day layover, including one canceled flight, the casket arrived on Wednesday, May 6.
On Thursday, the family was allowed a brief visitation, while a deacon offered the prayers of committal.
The burial took place at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, in the presence of his parents, Jorge Ortiz and Estela Garay, as well as other members of his immediate family. Father Daniel Castro conducted the final prayers for the eternal rest of Father Jorge Ortiz-Garay.
Irais Ortiz-Garay, the youngest of Father Jorge Ortiz-Garay’s four siblings, expressed the relief her family feels now that they have finally been able to bury her brother in Mexico City.
“We are grateful to all the people who worked so hard during the last weeks to bring my brother’s body to our family,” she told The Tablet.
Fr. Jorge, 49, was the pastor of St. Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, when he died on Friday, March 27, 2020. He had been serving in the Diocese since 2009, first at St. Joseph’s in Prospect Heights, then at St. Brigid’s.
Father Jorge was ordained to the Priesthood at the Archdiocese of Newark as a member of the Neocatechumenal Way on May 29, 2004.
May the soul of my friend, Father Jorge, rest in peace! May the angels take his body to heaven from his resting place in Mexico. Amen!
Father Jorge was a great father. He was always committed to the Virgin of Guadalupe and was very supportive of the community. We will miss him very much and he will always be in our hearts. May he Rest In Peace. To all his family, our condolences, and may God bless them.
Thank you so much to all .Fr Jorge will be dearly missed .May he Rest in Gods eternal peace.we are very sorry for your loss.many prayers for all his family friends and fellow priests. It was a pleasure to attend many neocatechumenal masses with him and other communities.condolences from the St.Edmund /our Lady of Peace Neocatechumenal way of Brooklyn ny.😢🌹🌹🌹
May his soul rest in peace. GOD will will take care of him. He’ll be greatly missed.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let your perpetual light shine upon Father Jorge Ortiz-Garay. Strength and courage to all his loved ones. God bless.
I am truly saddened when I think of the sudden passing of Padre Jorge. I lived and worked with him for a little over a year at Saint Brigid….I remember the many times he would text me asking to help him say a mass (after I left the parish) …Couldn’t have met a nicer guy. He was a lot of fun to be with. The only consolation I have is that he is in his true home now.