Deacon Miguel Valle died from a heart attack on May 19. He was ordained in 1996 and served at St. Wenceslaus Parish.

Deacon Valle was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and was the eldest of five children.

He was a longtime collaborator with Chicago Católico, writing notes and articles, and he hosted a radio show called “Compartiendo Nuestra Fe Católica.” He was known for organizing prayer groups, courses and workshops for the Hispanic Catholic community in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and he organized trips to the Holy Land.

Deacon Valle owned Nazareth, a bookstore that specialized in religious material where, with the archdiocese’s approval, he opened a small chapel.

“I lost one of the wisest people I ever met,” said Deacon Jaime Ríos of Valle. “Sometimes, instead of looking through my books to search for a quote or a story, I would call Miguel and he would say ‘Oh, it’s in such and such book, in such and such chapter.’”

Ríos added that Deacon Valle was a “walking library.”

“He had a tremendous knowledge of the Bible. He taught me so much,” he said.

Deacon Valle is survived by his mother and his four siblings.