Comment 1:
Fr. Aloysius was born in Yurre, Spain. He had told me this many times, and we even visited the town during the 1976 pilgrimage to the Marian Shrines in Europe. Yurre was located in Vizcaia. This is one of the five Basque provinces. When I visited Bilbao in October I tried to locate his birth place on the map. What I didn't know is that the Basques changed the official language for the Basque provinces in the 1990's to the Basque language, and in doing so they changed the names of many of the Spanish towns. Although I knew that the boyhood town of Aloysius was about 20 minutes away from Dima, a small town in the mountains, I didn't know about the change in Yurre's name.
While speaking with Fr. Aloysius' nephew, Jaan Luis, who is currently the local superior of the Claretian Provincial house in Bilbao, I mentioned I was trying to locate the town of Yurre. He pointed out that the Spanish name of the town had changed to Igorre, a Basque name. Sure enough, a short distance away from Dima and to the west was Igorre.
Comment 2:
Fr. Aloysius entered the Claretian Missionaries as a Postulant at the age of 11.
Comment 3:
Fr. Aloysius was the third of nine children. As he was the oldest boy, he was to inherit the family estate. However, Aloysius decided to enter the Claretian Missionaries. His brother, Jose Maria, also entered the Missionaries, so the birth right went to the third boy, Ramon. Ramon Ellacuria inherited the family estate in Yurre, Spain.
Comment 4:
Ignatio Ellacuria, Fr. Aloysius' younger brother, inherited the family estate. Their home is located in Igorre, Spain, just a few miles from Dima. The original farm house where Fr. Aloysius was born still stands, but it is in poor condition. When Ignatio died, the family estate passed to Ramon Ellacuria, Father's nephew. Ramon Ellacuria has built a more modern 2 story home next to the original farmhouse. The family lives in the newer structure. Ramon Ellacuria and his wife Maria Angeles Aurecoechea have twin sons, Ramon and Ignatio. The twins were born in 1968.
Comment 5:
Fr. Aloysius had a reputation of being able to read souls. Many have commented that he read their consciences. This is a special gift which God uses to soften the hearts.