The U.S. Catholic cleric who passed away on Friday is the first priest of the country to die from coronavirus, according to reports.
The Diocese of Brooklyn announced Saturday the loss of Father Jorge Ortiz-Garay, 49-year-old, after a battle with the novel virus. The beloved priest was known to serve the Mexican community at St. Brigid’s Church in Wyckoff Heights.
“This is a sad day and a tremendous loss for the Diocese of Brooklyn. Father Jorge was a great priest, beloved by Mexican people and a tireless worker for all of the faithful in Brooklyn and Queens,” Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio said in a statement.
Ortiz-Garay was a Mexico City native and began working in the Dioceses of Brooklyn in 2009.
