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Father Ernesto Arbelaez
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A funeral Mass was held Thursday at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Modesto for Father Ernesto Arbelaez, 86. He died March 20, 2011 in Regis Infirmary, Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, Los Gatos.

Burial was Friday at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery in Santa Clara.

Father Arbelaez was originally a member of the Colombian Province of the Society of Jesus but has been working in California for many years. He was a Jesuit for 70 years and a priest for 54 years. Most of his work in Colombia was as a teacher and administrator in Jesuit schools. In 1983 he came to the California and worked in parish ministry in the Stockton Diocese for 25 years. Father Arbelaez served at Sacred Heart Parish in Turlock from 1983 to 1989, St. Bernard Parish in Tracy from 1989 to 1996, as administrator at St. Anthony Parish in Hughson from 1996 to 2004, St. George Parish in Stockton from 2004 to 2005 and at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Modesto from 2005 to 2008.

He leaves behind his sister, Cecilia Arbelaez of Cali, Colombia.

-Ceres Courier/ March 30, 2011