A 100-Year-Old Priest Was Nudged From His Parish. He Has No Plan to Retire.
The New York Times
The Rev. Luis Urriza arrived in Beaumont, Texas, nearly 70 years ago and founded the thriving Cristo Rey parish. His religious order has now called him back to Spain.
BEAUMONT, Texas — The priest needed a hand while tugging on layer after layer of vestments. He carried a magnifying glass to help him read a handwritten list of prayer intentions. But as he jingled a bell to let the congregation know that Mass was beginning, he abandoned his walker and cane, singing along with the choir as he ambled up the center aisle toward the altar.
“He knows the difficulty of our life — it’s not easy,” the Rev. Luis Urriza said in Spanish, describing Jesus’s familiarity with the struggles of his followers.
“He has been tested in all manners,” Father Luis said. “Exactly like us.”
