The Diocese of Culiacán, in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, has reported the disappearance of priest Clemente Morales Topete, 67, whose whereabouts have been unknown since Saturday, October 24. The presbyter, parish priest of Cristo Resucitado, in the La Campiña neighborhood, was last seen around 4:00 p.m. in the Montebello subdivision, after attending a medical appointment.
The disappearance has mobilized Mexican state and federal authorities, who have an active search operation underway. The Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM) has also requested citizen collaboration to locate the priest and has asked the authorities to act diligently.
The priest disappeared after attending a medical appointment
According to the Diocese of Culiacán, Father Morales Topete was last seen on Saturday afternoon, when he was traveling in a dark gray Toyota Hilux pickup truck, double cab, with license plate UG-34195.
After losing contact with him, his relatives filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Sinaloa, while the diocese activated the corresponding protocols and contacted the authorities.
In a statement, the Bishop of Culiacán, Monsignor Jesús José Herrera Quiñónez, thanked the expressions of solidarity received from priests, the faithful, and members of the community.
«We remain united in prayer for his prompt location, for his family, and for his parish community,» the diocese stated, which also asked for the official search bulletin to be shared.
Federal authorities join the search
The Mexican government has reinforced efforts to locate the priest. The Ministry of the Interior confirmed on Monday, October 26, the coordination between federal and state institutions in charge of the operation.
According to reported by Reporte Índigo, the Undersecretary of Human Rights, Population and Migration, Arturo Medina Padilla, explained that the actions are coordinated from a national command post, with the objective of finding the presbyter alive.
The search involves the National Search Commission, the State Commission for the Search of Persons of Sinaloa, the Attorney General’s Office, the National Guard, and various security agencies.
For their part, state authorities confirmed that the Sinaloa Attorney General’s Office received the complaint and initiated the corresponding investigations.
The state government also maintains communication with the Bishop of Culiacán through the Ministry of Public Security to follow up on the case.
To date, the circumstances that led to the disappearance have not been publicly disclosed, nor has it been confirmed that the priest had received threats.
The Mexican Episcopal Conference requests prayers and citizen collaboration
The Mexican Episcopal Conference expressed its solidarity with Monsignor Jesús José Herrera Quiñónez, the priest’s family, and the faithful of the Cristo Resucitado parish.
In a statement released on October 25, the bishops requested the intervention of the authorities and recalled the importance of citizen collaboration.
«We ask the corresponding authorities to fulfill their duty and collaborate in the prompt location of Father Clemente,» they stated.
They also emphasized that «prayer, solidarity, and the responsible collaboration of the entire society help to express fraternity and renew hope.»
The bishops entrusted the search to the Virgin of Guadalupe: «We entrust this intention to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of Mexico, and ask the Lord to sustain those who are experiencing this concern.»
The State Commission for the Search of Persons of Sinaloa has issued the location bulletin RZC-0993-2026, which includes the priest’s physical data and the circumstances of his disappearance.
Morales Topete is approximately 1.80 meters tall, of slender build, with dark skin and short, black and graying hair. As distinguishing marks, he has a scar on the back right side of his neck and a small mole under his right eye, at the level of the cheekbone.
At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a long-sleeved beige shirt, dress pants of the same color, and gray moccasin-style shoes.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts can contact the State Commission for the Search of Persons of Sinaloa, by phone at 667 184 1256 or by email at cebpd@sinaloa.gob.mx.
The Mexican Church has requested that the official information be shared to contribute to the priest’s location.