SAN JUAN — As hundreds of Rio Grande Valley residents gathered here inside the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday to pay their final respects to Bishop Emeritus Raymundo J. Peña, it became clear that everyone’s impression of him was a matter of universal consensus — Peña was a pillar of faith.

He died at the age of 87 on Friday.

At his funeral Mass on Thursday, the bishop’s casket was escorted into the church by several Knights of Columbus before being joined by 12 bishops and Cardinal Daniel DiNardo.

Read the full story here.


Items rest on the casket containing the body of former Bishop Reymundo Pena during a funeral mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Worshippers enter the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle during the funeral mass for former bishop Reymundo Pena on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston Cardinal Daniel DiNardo blesses the casket of a for former Bishop Reymundo Pena during a funeral mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
The body of Bishop Reymundo Pena rest near the alter during a funeral mass for him at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston Cardinal Daniel DiNardo conducts a funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston Cardinal Daniel DiNardo conducts a funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
A funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Bishop Daniel Flores speaks during the funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Worshipers pray during the funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Members of the Knights of Columbus go to receive Holy Communion during funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Preists pray during funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Preist observe the casket containing the body of former Bishop Reymundo Pena enter the doors of the the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle during a funeral mass on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Mutiple priests attend and participate in funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
A worshipper makes the sign of the cross as she enters the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle during a funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
The casket contains the body of former Bishop Reymundo Pena is moved from the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle after a funeral mass on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
A casket containing the body former Bishop Reymundo Pena is move from the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle after a funeral mass on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Members of the Knights of Columbus attend to the casket before the funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
The casket containing the body of former Bishop Reymundo Pena is bless by priests before leaving the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston Cardinal Daniel DiNardo attends a mass walks the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle after a funeral mass for former Bishop Reymundo Pena on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
Tersa Castillo watches the casket containing the body of former Bishop Reymundo Pena leave the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle after a funeral mass on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])

RELATED READING:

‘Always faithful’: Catholic community pays final respects to Bishop Peña; remembered as pillar of faith in RGV