Priest of the young people dies

Julio A. Carles, PANAMA CITY, Panamá, November 10, 2006

Father Cano came to Panama on December 12, 1965 from Avila, his native city in Taxi Heathrow Airport Spain, and a year later was transferred to the cathedral in the city of Chitré, located in the Azuerian Province of Herrera, where he preached in the parish of Monagrillo which he was responsible for until his death.   

Segundo Familiar Cano was known as “The Priest of the Young People” because of his ministry dedicated to the youth of Panama, where each year he organized multitudinous religious gatherings in which the young people were the principal participants. 

Cano was responsible for the forming of the community of diocesan nuns, and its religious order, the Theresian Sisters of the Holy Spirit, and formed two groups of adult marriages and was instrumental for 10 young people entering the San José Seminary in Panama for their priestly formation, 7 of whom are now priests. When meeting with the young people, Cano would say that his greatest achievement was to “bring souls to Christ.”

In one of his last interviews for a nationally circulating newspaper, Father Cano said that, “I know that I do not have many years of work left, but I have committed myself to work harder and see what priest will be placed in this parish and continue the same work as mine, even though I frequently do not have to do anything because the young people … they do everything.” 

This commitment received the recognition of Cano’s superiors, such as Auxiliary Bishop José Domingo Ulloa, who said that his ministry could be summed up in his love and dedication to young people.

"He was an untiring man and convinced of his ministry,” Ulloa emphasized, and added, “We will really miss him.”  

Cano’s sudden death occurred while he was traveling to the city of Panama, from where he was to fly to California in the U.S., to preach at the Charismatic Renewal Gathering and receive financial assistance for the XXVIII Youth Gathering to take place in February, 2007. 

The traffic police report indicates that the car Cano was traveling in fell into a gully off the road that was covered by a thick fog. Following the accident, the driver of the car and Fr. Cano were taken to a health center where they received emergency treatment, and later taken to the emergency room of the Aquilino Tejeira Hospital in Coclé, where Cano died at approximately 10.00 a.m. as a result of a cardiac complication.

Fr. Cano’s burial is to take place in the town of Monagrillo, central Province of Herrera, on November 13

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