In memoriam Fr. Joseph Langford MC (1951-2010).

May he rest in peace.

Please offer masses for the repose of his soul.

Read his talks and meditations.

 

Dear Brother Priest,

I am writing you this letter, to give you the news, that you may already know, that Fr. Joseph Langford, M.C., who was the co-founder with Blessed Mother Teresa of the Corpus Christi Movement, went to the house of the Father on October 14, 2010, in the Missionaries of Charity Fathers house in Tijuana, Mexico.  You may have met Fr. Joseph on one of our retreats. He was born on June 25, 1951 in Toledo, Ohio. He lived as a child in San Diego, California, where he also attended school. Then later did his philosophical and Theological studies in St. Thomas Aquinas University in Rome.
During his years as a Seminarian, he came to know Mother Teresa and her work through a book and that deeply touched him. As a result, he became involved in his free time with the Missionaries of Charity Sisters and after he was ordained in Rome on March 25, 1978 as a priest of the Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary he became more involved with the charism of Mother Teresa.
In 1981, he founded with Mother Teresa, the Corpus Christi Movement for priests who wish to live the spirit of Mother Teresa while remaining where they are in their priestly life. This movement began to grow and spread among priests in various parts of the world. On July 16, 1983 Mother agreed to form a group of priest to take care of the Corpus Christi Movement of priests. In 1984 this group of priests became the Missionaries of Charity Fathers, and the Movement remained for Diocesan priests.
In all these years, Fr. Joseph has been of great assistance to the movement, he has participated and helped us to understand better the charism of Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity, he has given us retreats, participated in pilgrimages, and has been very active with the Movement. As I was myself part of that group that started in the early 1980s, in 1997, Mother Teresa asked me as a diocesan priest to be responsible for the movement.
Fr. Joseph has written several books, one dedicated to our Lady, In the Shadow of Our Lady, and another, The Secret Fire, a profound meditation on the thirst of Jesus, the center of Mother Teresa’s spirituality.
Father Joseph suffered for one year with health problems.
For me the passing of Fr. Joseph has been like the loss of a close dear brother. I am very thankful for all the help he has given me and the Movement through these years. I was able, thanks be to God, to attend the funeral and the burial in Tijuana and I would ask you please to keep him in your prayers as we continue our pilgrimage in this world with the hope that one day we will meet in eternal life.
May God bless you in Jesus and Mary with the intercession of the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.
Yours,

Fr. Pascual Cervera
International Coordinator of CCM