In a Mass presided over by Bishop Tulio Pérez, Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago de Guatemala, the remains of Venerable Dr. Ernesto Cofiño were transferred to the Church of Santa María Reina de la Familia in Ciudad Cayalá.

In his homily, Bishop Pérez emphasized that the father and pediatrician “did not seek to do extraordinary things: he simply let God be the center of his life.” He discovered that God was calling him to holiness not apart from his profession or his family, but within them.

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Who is Ernesto Cofiño?

Ernesto Cofiño (1899-1991) was born in Guatemala and studied Medicine at the Sorbonne (Paris). He dedicated himself entirely to pediatrics, fighting against childhood malnutrition. He founded and directed numerous institutions — nurseries, shelters, nutrition centers — always with the poorest children in mind. He married Clemencia Samayoa, and they had five children.

In 1956, he discovered his vocation to Opus Dei as a supernumerary, which deepened his life of faith without changing his dedication to serving others. When Clemencia died in 1963, he devoted himself even more fully to his children and to his work, which he continued until the age of 92. He died in 1991, and his reputation for holiness kept growing, with testimonies arriving from more than twenty countries. His cause for canonization was opened in 2000. On December 14, 2023, Pope Francis declared him Venerable.