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Mexico’s Catholic Church is warning of a rise in fake priests after a family discovered the man who led a loved one’s funeral was an imposter.
The issue came to light after the funeral of Mexico City woman Dahina Loaiza. Her family paid for a priest through one of Mexico’s
largest funeral companies in December 2024.
According to Reuters, relatives became suspicious when Jesús Romero arrived wearing a cardinal’s cap, skipped parts of the traditional Catholic liturgy and granted general absolution to dozens of mourners, a rite typically reserved for exceptional circumstances.
“He said he held a really high-ranking position as a priest and had the power to absolve everyone,” Loaiza’s sister, Roberta Loaiza, told the outlet.
Family friend Elena D’Acosta was concerned enough to contact the Archdiocese of Mexico City.
Three months later, Bishop Salvador González issued a public warning that Romero was impersonating a priest and no Mexican diocese had any record of him.
The case is one of a growing number reported by Catholic authorities around the country.
In León, Archbishop Jaime Calderón Calderón recently warned parishioners about a former cleric who allegedly conducted religious services despite being expelled from the clerical state, La Jornada reported.
Church officials urged worshippers to verify the credentials of anyone offering religious ministry.
“The faithful must refrain from promoting, soliciting, or participating in ministerial acts organised by persons who lack the proper ecclesiastical authorisation,” Calderón said (translated from Spanish).
For the Loaiza family, the revelation that an imposter had conducted the funeral was devastating.
“They took advantage of us when we were in an incredibly vulnerable moment,” Loaiza said.
Reuters reported the company said it had no formal process for verifying clergy and was unaware of the allegations until approached by the news agency. The company apologised and said it would investigate.
Church officials told the outlet the problem extends far beyond isolated cases. Representatives from nine Mexican archdioceses described increasing numbers of unauthorised clergy offering funerals, baptisms, weddings, First Communions and patron-saint celebrations.
Experts say the trend has been fuelled by a shortage of priests. Vatican data cited by Reuters shows Mexico has more than 120 million Catholics but just 17,331 priests, about one for every 7000 worshippers.
Church leaders say the consequences can extend beyond financial loss.
As the Catholic Church does not recognise the work performed by unauthorised ministers, families may be forced to repeat baptisms, weddings or other ceremonies they believed had been invalidly conducted.
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