On 10 September 2019, at the age of 44, Fr. Arnaldo Derlis Duré Oviedo was visited by Sister Death during a complicated open-heart surgery, which he did not survive.
On 25 September 1974, he was born in the town of Carayao Arnaldo Derlis Duré Oviedo. He was the youngest of four brothers and sisters: Mirta Elizabeth, Saúl Osvaldo, Eva Emilse and himself. He came from a humble family of farmers; his parents were named Rufino Duré and Doña Leonida Oviedo. In his youth, his family received the Franciscan spiritual formation from the first Franciscan TOR missionaries in Paraguay from the United States such as Father Tadeo, Cipriano, Columba, Mons. Gerónimo Pechillo, and others.
Fr. Derlis, as he is known by his middle name, from an early age was a mischievous, cheerful, curious child. He was interested all things, from primary and secondary school through university study. He was greatly influenced by the spiritual formation he experienced in his childhood as an altar boy at the hands of Fr. Seamus Corcoran TOR, Fr. Serafin Conley TOR, and Fr. Miguel Cáceres TOR, current Minister Provincial. Therefore, he has always distinguished himself by his cheerful spirit, and for being a supportive and humble co-worker; always placing the “other person in first place, himself last”, always humble and helpful.
In 1993, he began his first steps in religious life as postulant in the city of Colonel Oviedo, professing his first vows on 14 January 1997. On 14 October 2001, he professed his perpetual vows in the Order. He was ordained a priest on 25 June 2005 in the Tres Reyes parish in the city of Carayao, assuming the position of parochial vicar in the Niño Jesús parish in Prague-Asunción. He was characterized by his great apostolic zeal and dedication in the vice-province and in formation. He had a very active participation within the vice-province of San Antonio de Padua, serving as provincial secretary and advisor in the period of 2003-2007.
He served as parish priest in the Niño Jesús parish in Prague and director of the “Niño Jesús de Praga” parish school in the city of Asunción between 2006 – 2008. The following year, he was transferred to the city of San Estanislao as a teacher in the subsidized private school San Francisco de Asís. In 2011; he assumed the position of director of the institution until his death. He was also pastor for the period of one year, in 2011, of the San Estanislao Parish.
September was one of his favorite months, even more so after being a professed religious TOR, for being the month where our father and brother Saint Francis of Assisi received the Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He demonstrated this in life as a pastor devoted to children, youth and adults and in loving Christ, Saint Francis of Assisi and the Blessed Mother Mary, protector of all faithful believers. With simplicity and humility, he showed that love and service without any reward whatsoever does truly exist and, that, by sowing and reaping what has been sowed in life is well felt and seen.
The funeral mass was offered in the San Estanislao parish, presided by Monsignor Pedro Jubinville, bishop of the diocese of San Pedro Apóstol and concelebrated by the province minister Fr. Miguel Ángel Cáceres TOR, friars and priests of the diocese. Countless faithful of the parish community and the San Francisco de Asís educational community also participated.