The Cathedral of La Almudena in Madrid has hosted the mass in memory of the soul of the founder and president of the Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia, José Luis Mendoza Pérez, who died last 18 January, this afternoon. The ceremony was attended by his widow, María Dolores García, his children, and his brother Vicente, who were accompanied by religious, civil and military authorities, businessmen, athletes, Murcians living in Madrid, as well as by members of the UCAM academic community.

The Eucharist was presided over by Cardinal Carlos Osoro, Archbishop of Madrid, and concelebrated by several bishops, including Monsignor José Manuel Lorca, of the Diocese of Cartagena, and priests from the Archdiocese of Madrid. Representatives of the Anglican and Orthodox churches also participated. In his homily, Cardinal Osoro said that José Luis Mendoza ‘had three passions: Christ, the Church and building humanity in the closeness of God’, stressing that ‘he put his life at the service of the Catholic Church to proclaim Jesus Christ’.

At the end of the ceremony, María Dolores García gave a testimony in which she asked ‘that God may grant us the love for Jesus Christ, for the Church and for the proclamation of the Gospel, as José Luis enjoyed during his life’.

During the liturgy the Orchestra and Choir performed pieces by Mozart, Schubert, Roque Baños and Julián Santos, among other outstanding composers. The family received many expressions of affection from the attendees, as well as from Cardinal Osoro himself, who spoke with María Dolores García before leaving the church presiding over the religious procession.