Gustavo Gutiérrez Merino, OP, the Peruvian Dominican priest recognised as the "Father" of liberation theology, passed away on 22nd October 2024, at the age of 96.

According to Catholic News Agency, the Dominican Province of St John the Baptist in Peru confirmed Gutiérrez’s death, remembering him as the author of the seminal 1971 book A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, and Salvation.

The provincial prior, Fr Rómulo Vásquez Gavidia, OP, called for prayers, saying: "We ask for your prayers to accompany our dear brother so that he may enjoy eternal life."

Gutiérrez’s body will lie in state at the Santo Domingo convent in the historic center of Lima.

Born on 8th June, 1928, Gutiérrez was ordained a priest in 1959 and became a Dominican in 2001.

He initially studied medicine and literature at the National University of San Marcos, where he was also active in Catholic Action. He later pursued theology studies at the University of Louvain in Belgium and the Institut Catholique in Lyon, France.

Gutiérrez held the position of John Cardinal O'Hara Endowed Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

His works have been translated into numerous languages, and his influence extended across the global theological landscape.

One of his final major public appearances was in October 2019 in Rome, where he delivered a lecture on 'The Preferential Option for the Poor' at a congress hosted by the Jesuit General Curia, at the invitation of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

In 2018, Pope Francis sent Gutiérrez a letter for his 90th birthday, expressing gratitude for his contributions to the Church and society through his theological work and his dedication to the poor and marginalized.