Dear Brothers and Sisters:

With sadness, I inform you that on April 8, 2025, Fr. RAYMOND GAITÁN passed away at the age of 91 at the property of the Cordi-Marian sisters in San Antonio, Texas (United States), due to complications from a pneumothorax.

Fr. Raymond was born in San Antonio, Texas, on February 3, 1934. His parents were Santiago and Tomasa. He completed his primary education at San Fernando School in San Antonio, Texas, from 1940 to 1948, and his High School education at Central Catholic High School in San Antonio, Texas, from 1949 to 1952. He began his novitiate experience on September 22, 1952, at St. Augustine Monastery in Kansas City, Kansas (United States), and made his simple profession there on September 22, 1953. He completed two years of philosophy studies in Kansas City, between 1953 and 1955. That year, he attended the Tagaste Monastery in Suffern, New York, and studied philosophy for another year at Seaton Hall Catholic University. He made his solemn profession at Tagaste, Suffern, New York, on September 22, 1956. He also completed a year of theology studies at Seaton Hall University. He completed his theology studies at the Center for Theological Studies in Marcilla, Navarre (Spain), from 1957 to 1960. He received diaconal and priestly ordination at the convent in Marcilla, Navarre, from Monsignor Arturo Quintanilla, an Augustinian Recollect. He was ordained on April 3, 1960.

In 1960, Brother Ramón returned to the Tagaste Monastery in Suffern, New York, and completed a year of pastoral studies. In 1961, he began his 45-year-long stint dedicated to parish ministry: at St. Augustine Parish in Kansas City, from 1961 to 1966; at St. Rita Parish in New York, from 1966 to 1971; at Guadalupe Parish in Topeka, Kansas, from 1971 to 1978; at St. Michael's in Watts, Los Angeles, from 1978 to 1991; at St. Augustine Priory in Oxnard, California, from 1991 to 1994, where he served as vice-prior; again in Kansas City, from 1994 to 1997; and Guadalupe de Santa Ana, California, from 2000 to 2006. Beginning that year, he dedicated himself to vocation ministry, residing at the monastery in Suffern, New York, from 2006 to 2011, and at St. Augustine Priory in Oxnard, California, from 2011 to 2017. From 2017 to 2018, he lived a sabbatical year at the Shrine of Hope in Kansas City. In 2018, he arrived as a resident at St. Augustine Priory and in June of 2024 requested a leave of absence from the religious Priory to live with his family in San Antonio, Texas, where he died.

Father Raymond was a friendly religious man, with a youthful and restless spirit and faithful to community prayer. He had a special dedication and affection for the pastoral care of Hispanic youth and adults. From his restless heart, he gave careful attention to young people in his parish work, in the Scout Movement, in evangelization retreats, and in vocational ministry.

Father Raymond earned a Master's degree in applied theology in Los Angeles, California, from 1986 to 1988. He dedicated much of his energy to evangelization through retreats, because he was deeply convinced of their importance for the encounter with Jesus Christ. He devoted considerable time to listening to and accompanying the faithful. Many people remember his attentiveness and his advice during difficult moments in their lives. His homilies were deeply resonant thanks to the stories and anecdotes with which he nourished them. He was a courageous spiritual and social leader with a strong faith.

His commitment to promoting human dignity and justice and his passion for helping and defending families in need, especially Hispanic immigrants, have been reflected in two murals in which Brother Ramón appears in his attire as a priest and religious, along with other renowned figures of his time and environment. One is located in the parish of Guadalupe in Topeka, Kansas, and the other in El Centro, an aid association for Hispanics in Kansas City. Brother Ramón was one of the founders, in 1976, of El Centro, an association to serve and promote the Hispanic population in Kansas.

We entrust our brother Ramón to the merciful God to receive him at his heavenly banquet and we ask Our Lady of Guadalupe to be his intercessor before her Son, Jesus Christ.

Madrid, April 10, 2025.

Br. Carlos González Castellanos

Prior Provincial

FUNERAL SERVICES

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

7:00pm Rosary

Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent Chapel

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

10:00am Funeral Mass

Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent Chapel

Burial

Resurrection Cemetery at Cordi-Marian