The life of a Catholic priest who served at both Our Lady of Fatima Church in Saanich and St. Rose of Lima Church in Sooke and died earlier this month of COVID-19 in his native Brazil was celebrated here with a virtual service April 5.

Father Marinaldo Batista was 53.

Most recently based at the St. Elizabeth Church in Bristol, Rhode Island, Batista had travelled to Brazil to visit his parents and other family members early in 2021.

His parents and brother became ill with the virus in late February and a short time later Batista himself tested positive for the virus. Both parents subsequently died from coronavirus-related symptoms and Batista was in hospital more than three weeks before he died on April 1.

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The St. Elizabeth Parish reported Batista’s death on Facebook that morning after keeping parishioners updated on his condition in the days previous.

“It is with deep regret that we report the death of Fr. Marinaldo Batista, who had been hospitalized since March 9 at the COVID ICU of Santa Casa de Campo Mourão, after testing positive for the disease and having his health condition aggravated. Father Marinaldo Batista overcame all pain and suffering and was welcomed by the angels in the final home.”

Batista had two separate stints working in Canada. He spent eight years at the Parish of Nossanhora de Fatima in Edmonton until 2013, and after a brief period as an administrator of a parish in Brazil, he spent four years between Our Lady of Fatima and St. Rose of Lima, leaving Canada for good 2018.

Watch the video of Father Batista’s funeral and burial in his family’s tomb below.

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