Source: La Vanguardia and Archdiocese of Barcelona. The Cardinal Archbishop of Barcelona, Juan José Omella, has devoted his Sunday letter published in La Vanguardia to the figure of Saint Ezequiel Moreno. In it, he presents the Augustinian Recollect saint as a shepherd close to the most vulnerable and a witness of trust in God in the face of illness.
Sunday Letter by the Archbishop of Barcelona, source: Archdiocese of Barcelona
The Cardinal Archbishop of Barcelona, Juan José Omella, has sought to bring the figure of Saint Ezequiel Moreno closer to thousands of readers. He has done so in his Sunday letter “Shepherd, missionary and defender of the vulnerable”, published by the Archdiocese of Barcelona and reproduced in the pages of La Vanguardia, where he recalls the life and witness of the Augustinian Recollect saint on the occasion of the approaching date of his liturgical feast.
From the beginning of his reflection, Omella explains that it was during his years as bishop of the diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada-Logroño that he discovered the figure of Saint Ezequiel Moreno, born in Alfaro (La Rioja), an encounter that, he says, profoundly marked his episcopal ministry.
“I came to know the life of a saint who marked my ministry… I am referring to Saint Ezequiel Moreno, an example of missionary dedication and of hope in the face of suffering,” the cardinal writes.
A shepherd who made illness a path to Christ
In his letter, the Archbishop of Barcelona traces the key moments in the life of the Augustinian Recollect saint: his birth in Alfaro, his missionary vocation in the Philippines, his service as Bishop of Pasto (Colombia), and his constant closeness to the poor, the sick, and the most vulnerable.
He pays special attention to the final stage of Saint Ezequiel Moreno’s life. Omella recalls that, after being diagnosed with cancer of the jaw, the bishop faced the illness with deep Christian serenity, turning suffering into an opportunity to unite himself more intimately with Jesus Christ.
The cardinal sums up this witness with a phrase highlighted in his publication:
“Saint Ezequiel Moreno lived his illness as an opportunity to unite himself with Jesus Christ.”
For Omella, Saint Ezequiel’s holiness did not consist in avoiding suffering, but in living it with faith, showing that God’s love can illuminate even the most difficult moments of existence. He also invites people to entrust to his intercession those who are going through illness, recalling that he was canonized by Saint John Paul II in 1992 and that today he is recognized as patron saint of cancer patients.
Saint Ezequiel Moreno reminds us that holiness is not fleeing from suffering, but living it with faith and hope.
This summer, let us not forget the sick or those who suffer from loneliness: a visit, a call, or a word can be a great comfort to them.… pic.twitter.com/zg7afjJbgm
— Card. Juan José Omella (@OmellaCardenal) July 19, 2026
A historic link with the Augustinian Recollect Family
Cardinal Omella’s reference to Saint Ezequiel Moreno also has an interesting historical background for the Augustinian Recollect Family.
During the early years of his episcopal ministry, Juan José Omella served as auxiliary bishop of Zaragoza, an archdiocese where the Order of Augustinian Recollects has a historic presence. In that period, between July 15, 1996 and October 29, 1999, he was appointed titular bishop of the former diocese of Sasabe, a see that holds special significance for the Order, since years earlier it had also been the titular see of Monsignor Alfonso Gallegos, OAR, Venerable auxiliary bishop of Sacramento and one of the most beloved figures of the Augustinian Recollect episcopate.
After his appointment as bishop of Barbastro-Monzón, and later in other pastoral responsibilities, the paths of today’s Archbishop of Barcelona and the Order no longer coincided within the same diocese. However, it was during his ministry at the head of the diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada-Logroño (2004-2015) that he was able to come to know closely the life of Saint Ezequiel Moreno, a son of that land of La Rioja.
It is significant that this encounter with the history of the Augustinian Recollect saint has now been reflected in a letter addressed to thousands of readers, in which Omella presents Saint Ezequiel as a shepherd who continues to shed light on today’s Church through his missionary dedication, his love for the most vulnerable, and his unshakable trust in God even in the midst of suffering.
A saint who continues to speak to today’s Church
The publication of this letter represents a new ecclesial recognition of the continuing relevance of Saint Ezequiel Moreno’s message. More than a century after his death, his life continues to be presented as an example of missionary dedication, closeness to the poorest, and Christian hope in the face of pain.
That Cardinal Juan José Omella has wished to devote his Sunday reflection to the figure of the Augustinian Recollect saint, using in addition a widely read outlet such as La Vanguardia, is a new opportunity to bring his witness to an ever wider public and to recall the enduring relevance of a shepherd who made his life—and also his illness—a path of union with Christ.
Saint Ezequiel’s legacy remains alive alongside those who suffer
Faithful to the legacy of Saint Ezequiel Moreno, the Augustinian Recollects continue today to accompany those who are going through illness and suffering. They do so in many ways in their pastoral work, but also through the Saint Ezequiel Moreno Prayer Network, an initiative that offers a space of spiritual consolation for the sick, their families, and all those who wish to place their concerns in God’s hands.
Through this network, anyone can entrust their prayer intentions, which are received by a community of Augustinian Recollect cloistered nuns. From the silence of their monasteries, these religious sisters sustain with their daily prayer those who are living through times of illness, uncertainty, or pain, thus extending the spirit of closeness and hope that characterized the life of the saint from La Rioja.
In this way, Cardinal Omella’s invitation to look to Saint Ezequiel Moreno not only recalls the figure of a great missionary and shepherd, but also highlights a spirituality that continues to bear fruit in the Church. His example continues to inspire the Augustinian Recollect Family to be close to those who suffer most, convinced that no prayer falls into the void and that, even in the midst of illness, Christ continues to make himself present through faith, community, and hope.
