The Crosier community mourns the loss of our confrere. Br. Richard Florencio (Gabriel) Guerrero, osc, was born Jan. 3, 1936, in San Antonio, Texas, to Apolonio Guerrero Sr. and Simona Cisneros. He was the youngest of 10 children.
He died Dec. 5, 2023, at Suncrest Health Care Center in Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 87.
Richard attended Goodrich Public School in Chicago, Maryville Academy in Des Plaines, Ill., and St. Patrick Academy in Chicago.
He entered the Crosier novitiate in 1951 at the age of 16, taking the religious name of Br. Gabriel but more commonly called Gabe, and made his first profession of vows on March 19, 1953, in Fort Wayne, Ind., and renewed them three years later. Gabe professed solemn vows on March 19, 1959.
As a Crosier brother, Br. Gabe served in various capacities at the Crosier Seminary, Onamia, Minn., 1953–55 and 1958–79; Our Lady of the Lake Seminary, Syracuse, Ind., 1955–57; Crosier Community of Hastings, Neb., 1957–58 and 1979–1990; and the Crosier Community of New Rochelle, N.Y., 1990–2000. He also cared for many aging Crosiers and visited the infirm in hospitals and care facilities. From 2000 until his death, he was assigned to the Crosier Community of Phoenix. In 1990, he was removed from ecclesiastical ministry following a credible report of sexual abuse of a minor and was supervised under a safety plan until his death.
He is survived by his nephew Manuel (Debbie) from Shorewood, Ill., niece Angie from San Antonio, extended family and Crosier confreres. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Joe, Paul, Ralph, Manuel, Arthur and Vincent; and sisters Dominga Solorzano, Paula Tenorio and Beatrice Bickley.
Services for Br. Gabe were held at the Crosier Priory Church of the Holy Cross in Phoenix. Burial will follow in Illinois.
