By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
The Vatican news agency is reporting that a record number of Catholic pastoral workers were killed around the world in 2009.
A report published by Fides lists 37 priests, nuns and missionaries who were killed “in a violent way” while serving the Church last year, the highest number in the last 10 years and nearly double the number reported in 2008.
The most deaths occurred in Latin and North America where 23 Catholic workers lost their lives. Eleven died in Africa, two in Asia and one in Europe. These totals amount to the loss of 30 priests, two religious sisters, two seminarians, and three lay volunteers.
Most of this year’s victims were killed during robbery attempts, such as Father Lorenzo Rosebaugh, of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), who was driving along a country road in Guatemala with another missionary when masked gunmen stopped the car, robbed him and shot him to death.
Others died in senseless attacks, such as Fr. Joseph Bertaina, a Consolata Missionary serving in Kenya who attacked and killed by thugs at the Institute of Philosophy run by the Consolata Missionaries in Nairobi, where he was rector and administrator. They beat, bound and gagged him, causing his death from respiratory failure. Also in Kenya, the body of Fr. Jeremiah Roche of the Society of St. Patrick for Foreign Missions was found with his hands tied and machete wounds to the head.
Some were victims of anti-Christian violence, such as Fr. James Mukalel who was found dead near Mangalore in southern India by Hindu fundamentalists.
The U.S. was the site of the murder of Sister Marguerite Bartz, of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (SBS), who was killed in her convent of Saint Berard in the Navajo area of New Mexico (United States of America). Fr. Ed Hinds, Pastor of St. Patrick Church in Chatham, New Jersey (USA), was found dead in the Rectory beside the church, covered with numerous injuries and wounds caused by a sharp weapon wielded by a church custodian.
The Church does not refer to these victims as “martyrs” since it is up to the Church to judge their possible merits, but are still worthy of our prayer and acknowledgement.
“Some were victims of that very violence that they were fighting or the willingness to go to the aid of others, placing their own security in jeopardy,” the report stated.
“Many were killed in attempted robbery or kidnapping, attacked in their homes by bandits in search of elusive treasures who most often had to settle for an old car or the victim’s phone, and yet taking with them the most precious treasure: a life given in love. Others were eliminated because they opposed hatred with love, despair with hope, violent opposition and the right to abuse with dialogue.”
Since the start of the new millennium, 261 Catholic workers have been killed around the world, including 190 priests and four bishops.
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