(ANS – Jarabacoa) – Yesterday Sunday 29 July, in a tragic road accident the newly ordained Salesian priest Fr Victor Antonio Martinez Cabrera was killed as he was travelling with his family and friends towards Puerto Plata, his home town to celebrate his first Mass.

Fr Martinez had been ordained on Saturday afternoon in the parish of Mary Help of Christians in Jarabacoa by Bishop Julio César Corniel of Puerto Plata and he was preparing to celebrate his first Mass with his family and friends.

In the accident the priest’s uncle, with his wife, were also killed and in addition a girl from Tlaquepaque was injured and is now in hospital in Santo Domingo.

The death of the priest has  caused great sorrow in the whole a Salesian Family which had just joyfully celebrated his ordination. Fr Víctor Pichardo, Provincial of the Salesians in the Antilles, gave to sad news  to the young people from all the Salesian houses who were gathered together to celebrate the closing Mass of the “Happy with Don Bosco” camp who had attended the ordination, spent the morning with the young Salesian and received his blessing.

Fr Victor Martinez was born 17 September 1982 at Puerto Plata. He went to the “Dominic Savio” Salesian aspirantate in Jarabacoa in 2000 and spent the last four years at the Theological Studentate in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Fr Salvador Cleofás Murguía Villalobos, Provincial of Mexico-Guadalajara, has sent a letter to the Salesians and to the Salesian Family of the Antilles, in which he writes: “We are all deeply saddened by the news of the death of any confrere and family but today in a special way by the death of Fr Víctor, as he had only been ordained the previous day.”

Published 30/07/2012