Pope condemns brutal killing of two Mexican priests
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis
has expressed his sadness for the killing of two Mexican priests and has sent a
telegramme of condolences assuring their diocese and families of his prayers.
Father Alejo Nabor Jimenez
Juarez and Father José Alfredo Suarez de la Cruz were abducted from their
Church in the State of Veracruz’s northern city of Poza Rica on Sunday.
Their bodies, with bullet wounds, were found the following day.
The telegramme, which was
sent by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin on behalf of the Holy
Father, expressed the Pope’s profound sadness for the killing of the priests
who were respectively the Parish priest and the Vicar of the Church of Our Lady
of Fatima in Poza Rica.
The Pope strongly condemned
the brutal attacks on the lives and on the dignity of the people involved and
urged the clergy and all members of the diocese to continue to pursue their
mission despite the difficulties.
He said he is praying
for the eternal rest of the priests, for their families and for the entire
parish community.
The telegramme was addressed
to Bishop Trinidad Zapata of Papantla.
Poza Rica and its surrounding
territory has been the scene of drug-related gang violence and trafficking for
many years. But it's unclear why the Catholic priests were targeted.
Priests have been killed
before in Mexico, but many of the killings have occurred in the Pacific coast
state of Guerrero. The two murders bring the total number of Catholic priests
killed in Mexico since 2012 to 14.
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