To Provincial Superiors, Vice Provincial Superiors

And Delegates General

To the whole Hospitaller Family of St John of God

Dear Brothers and Co-Workers,

It is with deep pain and a profound sense of sorrow that I have to inform you that Bro Manuel García Viejo died yesterday evening at Madrid’s Carlos III Hospital.  As you know, Bro Manuel was repatriated to Spain on 22 September. His health conditions appeared very serious from the start, although a slight improvement the next day briefly raised our hopes.  Unfortunately, however, his condition took a turn for the worse during the night of Wednesday and he continued to deteriorate until he passed away at 1800 yesterday, 25 September. Rest in Peace, Manuel!

Together with the whole Order, we join in the suffering of our Brothers in the African Province of St Augustine, to which he belonged since it was founded, and to the Brothers of the Province of Castille, where he set out on the religious life and  to which he belonged for many years.  Our condolences also go out to Bro Manuel’s family, to whom he was very close.

I should like to express my gratitude to the Government of Spain for its help and support in repatriating our Brother, to the health authorities involved and in particular to the medical personnel who assisted him over the last few days and who did all that was possible to bring him back to health.   

Once more, the Ebola virus has dealt a hard blow to our Order, leaving us prostrate.  The manner in which our Brother Manuel bore witness to hospitality until his death, like all the Brothers and Co-Workers who previously gave their lives for the same cause, stands as a prophetic call to the world, the Church and our own Hospitaller Family of St John of God not to forget but to continue serving and helping the populations of the countries suffering under the terrible Ebola epidemic.

We continue to pray to the Lord of Life for the people of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Conakry, and also for our communities in  Monrovia e Lunsar, that He may protect them through the intercession of our Father and Founder, St John of God.

Bro Jesús Etayo

Prior General