Our brother, Gerry Moore OFM went home to God in Guatemala on Monday 1st April after a short illness. Born in Dublin in December 1943, he was 81 years of age.

Gerry was an outstanding friar, priest and missionary who spent his live in the service of the beloved people of El Salvador and Guatemala.

He joined the Franciscan Order in 1963 and celebrated his First Profession in Killarney Friary on the Feast of Saint Francis, 4th October 1964. After studies in Galway and Rome, Gerry was ordained a priest in 1971.

The following year in December 1972 he went to the Irish Franciscan Mission in El Salvador and later joined the Franciscan Province of Central America when it was established in 1982.

Gerry travelled to El Salvador with Sr Anslem, a Sister of St Clare, who was joining her Irish Sisters already in the country.  The Irish friars and Sisters worked closely together among and with the people in Morazán, one of the poorest of the country’s 14 departments or counties.
This was also one of the most war-torn regions during the dreadful civil war that raged from 1980 to 1992 and claimed over 75,000 lives. Gerry witnessed first-hand the brutality of that conflict and the horror of the death squads. And with great courage stayed close to the poor in their sorrow and their struggle for justice.

He was highly regard by his brother Franciscans and was twice elected Vicar Provincial of the Central American Province, in 1990 and again in 2021. He was also chosen as a General Definitor for the whole Order. This involved living in the Franciscan General Curia in Rome for six years (1997-2003) and visiting and supporting the Latin American friars in their life and mission.

In 2004 Gerry moved to Guatemala to continue pastoral ministry there.

A man with a true Franciscan heart, close to God and the people, Gerry will be sadly missed by his family members, his fellow friars and the many, many people whose life he touched. 

The Light of Heaven to our beloved brother!

A Memorial Mass will be held in our Dublin Friary at a later date – details to be announced.