94-year-old priest dies in car-truck collision

After 71 years of priestly service, priest emeritus Joaquim Ventura died under circumstances the GNR is investigating, in an accident on a straight that resulted in the road being cut for more than two hours, for providing assistance.

The 10:13 alarm mobilized 15 operatives and seven firefighters from Batalha, the GNR and the VMER group of Leiria, who confirmed the death at the scene. The driver of the heavy vehicle was not injured.

Joaquim Ventura was born in Juncal, Porto de Mós. He was director and ideologue of the Colegio de San Miguel in Fatima and created the Arca da Alliance Foundation, dedicated to supporting families in need, with a home for children and young people and an apartment complex for the elderly. He was a chaplain at Monte Real Air Base and received several awards during his career.

Despite being praised for his performance, he was not allowed to celebrate the Eucharist and other sacraments for a year following an investigation by the Diocese of Leiria Fátima into the transfer of assets of the Diocesan College of São Miguel Arca da Alliance. Foundation. He ended up getting a “partial commutation of his sentence”, stating that he had taken a “spiritual stance of restitution and repentance”.