On December 2, 2022, the US Province of the Idente Missionaries celebrated a Mass in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Manhattan, New York, on the occasion of the entrance into eternal life of their Founder, Fernando Rielo. Around 2000 people from the four parishes that the Idente missionaries administer in New York, i.e., Our Lady of Solace-St. Dominic’s, Bronx; Santa Maria, Bronx; Our Lady of Loretto, Hempstead; St. Luke’s, Brentwood, filled St. Patrick’s cathedral. The 50 altar servers, from the Idente parishes, who opened the entrance procession, prayerfully witnessed to their love for Fernando Rielo. The enchanting voice of the children’s choir from St. Luke’s parish elevated the mass in beauty with their conductor Felipe Rondon. The Most Reverend Luis Miguel Romero Fernández M.Id, the first bishop of the Idente Missionaries, celebrated the mass. In his homily, he described the various virtues of Fernando Rielo. He spoke about how Rielo offered up every aspect of his life to the Heavenly Father from a very young age. Further, he spoke about his personal experience of him and how Rielo was instrumental in forming his vocation. Bishop Romero also spoke about how Rielo had entrusted him with the position of rector-chancellor of the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja in Ecuador. The mass officially commenced the Centennial Celebration of the Birth of Fernando Rielo. New York is very dear to every Idente Missionary because it is where Fernando Rielo spent the last 16 years of his life. During his time in New York, he gave lectures and seminars of various lengths and audiences. His talks mainly consisted of his philosophical, theological, and poetic thought. On January 23, 1994, while he was in New York, the Idente Missionaries were officially recognized as a Public Association of the Faithful. Forty days before his death, the Idente missionaries were canonically elevated to an Institute of Consecrated Life of Diocesan Right; and on July 11, 2009, they were granted Pontifical Right.
