José Tavares Baptista died on January 18, 2005. He was 102 years old. Until the age of 95 he had been the parish priest in a village near Viseu, Portugal, and until the age of 98 he imparted religion classes in a school. After this he still continued to assist other priests, celebrating Holy Mass in parishes on Sundays, preaching on feast days, and, above all, helping to administer the sacrament of Penance. Not only were his mental faculties and extraordinary memory intact at the end of his life, but also his driver’s license. He was always an exemplary priest, a man of prayer and sacrifice, notable for his piety, for his apostolic zeal and for the attention he gave to everyone, particularly to children and the sick. He was also noted for his fervent devotion to the Sacred Heart and to our Lady. He had been a supernumerary of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross since 1990. At the age of 100 he had the joy of taking part in the canonization of St. Josemaría in Rome.

Quirino Glodevisa Glorioso, a Supernumerary of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, was at the time of his death the oldest priest in the Philippines. He was born on March 30, 1903 and died on June 14, 2005. He was greatly loved in his diocese and many people went to him for confession. At the age of 99 he took part in the canonization of St. Josemaría, to whom he had great devotion. He was very happy that a contemporary of his had been canonized during his own lifetime. In his last days, when he had already lost consciousness, he would recite the prayers of the Mass and even preach homilies, manifesting his deep love for the Holy Sacrifice.

Laurentino Herrán Herrán, who out of love for our Lady had added the name of Mary to his own name, was born in Fuentes de Nava, Palencia, Spain, on October 8, 1920. He studied at the seminary of St. Joseph in Palencia and in the Pontifical University of Comillas, where he obtained his doctorate in theology. Ordained a priest on December 19, 1943, he dedicated his whole life to teaching and carried out a fruitful apostolate with students and teachers. He was professor of Mariology at the Major Seminary of Burgos and in the Schools of Theology of Burgos and Navarre. In 1965 he was appointed Canon of the Cathedral of Palencia, a position he held until 1985. He asked for admission to the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross in 1958. Accompanied by other priests, and after receiving the Anointing of the Sick and apostolic Benediction, he died quietly and calmly on March 30, 2005.

The other members of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross who died during this six month period are:

Vincenç Blanco Pujol February 4, 2005
Manuel Brito da Silva March 18, 2005
Manuel Cajigal Masiá January 15, 2005
Ireneo Calvo Dueñas March 19, 2005
Julio Calzada Bustillo May 16, 2005
Antonio Campos Hoyos March 20, 2005
Miguel Conejero Pérez March 2, 2005
Juan Luis Corbín Ferrer February 18, 2005
Hilario Domínguez Guerra June 13, 2005
Salustiano Escorihuela Oliver June 24, 2005
Felipe Felipe Ferrer January 13, 2005
Vicente Gaona Pacheco January 19, 2005
José María Goyenaga Oyaregui May 1, 2005
Emilio Martínez Ibáñez January 7, 2005
Joan Porta Sicart January 11, 2005
Esteban Prat Llussá March 28, 2005
José de Jesús Ruvalcaba Padilla June 4, 2005
Roberto Sánchez Muñoz June 5, 2005
Benedetto Segatori May 30, 2005
Salvador Simoni Vélez May 4, 2005