Puebla, Mexico, Oct 9, 2025 /
16:53 pm
The body of Father Bertoldo Pantaleón Estrada was found on Oct. 6. The Mexican priest had been reported missing on Saturday, Oct. 4, in the state of Guerrero.
The Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM) and the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa confirmed that, according to authorities, the priest’s remains were found around 2 p.m. local time. Pantaleón Estrada was the parish priest in the town of Mezcala, located in the southeast of the country.
So far, there are no details regarding the cause of death. The Guerrero state attorney general’s office reported that it has launched an investigation to “clarify what happened.”
In a statement, the bishop of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, José de Jesús González Hernández, asked the authorities to “help us determine the responsibility of those involved in this unfortunate event.”
At the same time, he stated that “as bishop, and on behalf of the entire diocesan community, I forgive those directly involved for these acts, leaving the administration of justice to God.”
González Hernández also called for “the conversion of our hearts” and asked God that the entire population may continue “walking the path of peace and in favor of life.”
Violence against the Catholic Church in Mexico
In their statement, the Mexican bishops thanked God “for the priestly ministry of Father Bertoldo, for his generous dedication to the service of the Gospel and the Church, especially among the communities entrusted to him.”
They also lamented that the acts of violence have once again plunged the Catholic community into mourning.
This incident occurs almost a year after the death of Father Marcelo Pérez of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas, who was murdered after celebrating Mass.
According to the Catholic Multimedia Center, which tracks attacks against the clergy, one cardinal and approximately 60 priests have been murdered since 1990. Since 2018 alone, the organization reports 12 murders of priests; 14 attacks on priests and bishops; a weekly average of 26 churches attacked, desecrated, or assaulted; and nearly 900 cases of extortion and death threats against members of the Catholic Church.
In view of this situation, the CEM demanded that state and federal authorities conduct “a prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation that will allow for the clarification of this crime and the just punishment of those responsible.”
“As shepherds of the people of God, we raise our voices to remind everyone that no form of violence can have a place in a society that honors life and seeks goodness, truth, and peace for all its citizens,” the country’s bishops stated.
Finally, Mexico’s bishops concluded their message by imploring Christ the Good Shepherd to “receive our brother into his kingdom and grant him a share in the eternal joy promised to his faithful servants.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Diego López Colín is a graduate of the Carlos Septién García School of Journalism (Mexico). He has been a correspondent for ACI Prensa in Mexico since 2023.
