Father Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari spent more than two decades as a Redemptorist missionary before the evening of October 17, 2026, when a large wooden cross detached from the wall behind the altar of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro in Guayaquil and fell on him during Mᴀss. Born in Cuenca on November 6, 1973, he professed vows with the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer on August 15, 2000, and was ordained a priest on October 15, 2005. His ministry took him through several regions of Ecuador. In Loja he worked with youth groups and strengthened family catechesis. In Durán he supported food initiatives and practical workshops for young people.

In Vinces, in the province of Los Ríos, he served as parish priest of San Lorenzo and helped establish the Redemptorist presence in more remote areas. He later worked in Manta before becoming parish priest of Perpetuo Socorro in the Centro vicariate of the Archdiocese of Guayaquil. Colleagues and parishioners remembered him as approachable, quiet, and dedicated, someone who promoted adoration of the Eucharist and remained close to educational insтιтutions and the sick. The congregation he belonged to was founded in 1732 by St. Alphonsus Liguori with a mission focused on preaching the Gospel and serving the poor and abandoned. Father Sánchez Molinari regularly livestreamed Mᴀsses from the Guayaquil church so that more people could participate. On the Saturday night of his death the service followed that pattern.

He spoke about the value of time given to God and family rather than lesser distractions. Then the crucifix fell. People in the church shouted for medical help. He died shortly afterward. The Archdiocese of Guayaquil confirmed the death in a notice from Cardinal Luis Cabrera Herrera that spoke of the priest having gone to the Father’s House and offered solidarity to the Redemptorist family, his relatives, and friends. The cause of the cross coming loose was not stated in the initial announcement and remained under technical review. His remains were transferred to Cuenca, where burial took place in accordance with his desire to be interred in his hometown. The Redemptorist Superior General and the Andean-Caribbean Province issued messages of grief, noting that he died at the altar while celebrating the Eucharist during the period surrounding the twenty-first anniversary of his ordination.

Reports from Ecuadorian outlets such as El Comercio and El Universo, along with international coverage, reconstructed his pastoral path and the sequence of the accident from the livestream and official statements. Family members later called for a full investigation into how the cross detached, while police described the death as accidental pending further findings.