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Ávila: Rest in Peace Fray José Montero Castañón, OP.

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Fr. José Montero Castro OP., was born in Puente de los Fierros, Asturias on July 17, 1936. He completed the high school studies at the Santa María de Nieva School, Segovia. He decided to join the Province of Our Lady of the Rosary and completed his novitiate at the Convent of Santo Domingo, Ocaña, Toledo in 1953. After the novitiate year, José Montero made religious profession on July 11, 1954.

Fr. Montero was assigned to the Convent of Santo Tomás Ávilato initiate his complementary studies. He studied Philosophy from 1957-1958 and the first course of Theology (1957-1958). Afterwards, He continued studying Theology in the faculty of "Le Saulchoir" France.

Fr. José Montero Castañón, OP has ordained a priest on July 9, 1961, in Paris, France and immediately he began his complementary studies in the same faculty of "Le Saulchoir" obtaining a degree of Lectorate and a degree in Theology. After, he went on to do a doctorate in Theology at the Angelicum, Rome in 1965.

In the long history of ministries and pastoral exercises,  Fr. José Montero was elected Secretary of the General Study and of the Pontifical Institute of Theology of Santo Tomás, and San Pedro Mártir from 1967-1970. Afterwards, he became a member of the student formation team at the San Pedro Mártir Convent, Madrid, from 1968 to 1970.

Father Montero was Elected and appointed Regent of Studies and President of the Pontifical Institutes of Philosophy and Theology San Pedro Mártir. He held this position for two terms 1970-1976 and 1977-1980. At the same time, he was appointed Director of the Superior School of Missionary Formation by the Conference of Men and Women Religious (CONVER), Madrid from 1973 to 1976. Additionally, He was elected Prior of the Convent of the Holy Trinity in Rome, and began to exercise a broad ministry in the community, in the Order and in other educational centres from 1981 to 1984.

As a professor, Fr. José Montero taught various subjects of theology since his incorporation to the Institutes of Ávila and Madrid. He was also a professor at Regina Mundi, Rome 1983-1999 and at the University of Santo Tomás (Angelicum) from 2003-2007. Likewise, He was appointed member of the Vatican Secretariat for Dialogue with Believers from 1981-1988, and undersecretary of the same secretariat from 1988-1991. The Master of the Order appointed him as Assistant for the Iberian Peninsula from 1992-1998.

After he finished his work in Rome in 2000, Fr. José Montero was appointed superior of the House of San José, Hong Kong, and Socious of the Prior Provincial from 2000-2003. After his services in Hong Kong, he returned to Rome and continued teaching at the Angelicum 2003-2007. Back in Spain, he became the secretary of Studium magazine in 2009. 

The communities where he was assigned, the many students who attended his classes, acquaintances and relatives will remember Fr. José for his simplicity and desire not to attract attention. He was faithful accomplice of his duty, dedicated and faithful fulfilment of the responsibilities attached to the different offices were entrusted to him. He was also distinguished by his availability for the ministry in each and every one of the houses to which he was assigned.

Fr. José Montero died on July 17, 2020, in Ávila, Spain at the age of 84. He received the Holy Sacraments and was accompanied by his community. Rest in peace!