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Missionaries remembered for their ultimate sacrifice.
6 Jan 2010

Fr Gisley was only 31 years old
Thirty seven missionaries were killed around the world in 2009, the highest number in the last decade and nearly double the previous year. Of those who lost their lives, there were 30 priests, two religious sisters, two seminarians and three lay volunteers.

The Americas had the highest number of deaths with a total of 23 pastoral workers killed. This included 18 priests, two seminarians, one religious sister and three lay volunteers.

Six priests were killed in Brazil alone. This number was so alarmingly high that the Bishops’ Conference issued a statement of its concern for the rising violence against the priests in the country.

One of those priests was Father Gisley Azevedo Gomes, CSS, who was just 31 years old.  He was killed in June 2009.

He had suffered a shot to the face and two to the head. Police arrested several young people, guilty of the crime, who had gotten into his car, first robbing him and then killing him.

Originally from Morrinhos, Fr. Gisley had entered the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ and was ordained a priest on May 2005. He had been the leader of the National Youth Section of the CNBB (Bishop’s Conference of Brazil) for just two years. Very dedicated to working with young people, he joined the Youth Ministry of Brazil in organising the National Campaign on the theme "Youth in the march against violence."
 "In a regrettable way he was the victim of violence that wanted to fight against."

Missionaries, like Father Gomes are not concerned with the dangers that they might face, instead they work with the people for their wellbeing.

“Missionaries all over the world are incredible people, who often risk their own lives for the sake of others. They are certainly a sign of God and love in our world” said Deputy National Director of Catholic Mission, Peter Gates.

“Please spare a thought and a prayer for all missionaries around the world, and particularly for those who have been killed this past year.”

 


LIST OF MISSIONARIES KILLED IN 2009

 

Name

Country of Origin

Institute

Place and Date of Death

1.

Fr. Giuseppe Bertaina

Italy

Consolata Missionary (IMC)

Nairobi (Kenya) – Jan. 16

2.

Fr. Eduardo de la Fuente Serrano

Spain

Diocesan

Havana (Cuba) – Feb. 14

3.

Fr. Juan Gonzalo Aristizabal Isaza

Colombia

Diocesan

Medellin (Colombia) – Feb. 22

4.

Fr. Daniel Matsela Mahula

South Africa

Diocesan

Bloemhof (South Africa) – Feb. 27

5.

Fr. Lionel Sham

South Africa

Diocesan

Mohlakeng (South Africa) – March 7

6.

Fr. Révocat Gahimbare

Burundi

Diocesan

Karuzi (Burundi) – March 8

7.

Fr. Gabriel Fernando Montoya Tamayo

Colombia

Redemptorists

Vichada (Colombia) – March 16

8.

Fr. Jesús Ariel Jiménez

Colombia

Redemptorists

Vichada (Colombia) – March 16

9.

Fr. Ramiro Ludeña

Spain

Diocesan

Recife (Brazil) – March 20

10

Fr. Lorenzo Rosebaugh

United States

Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI)

Alta Verapaz (Guatemala) – May 18

11

Fr. Ernst Plöchl

Austria

Mariannhill Missionaries

Maria Zella (South Africa) – May 31

12

Jorge Humberto Echeverri Garro

Colombia

Lay pastoral worker

Panama di Arauca (Colombia) – June 11

13

Fr. Habacuc Hernández Benítez

Mexico

Diocesan

Tierra Caliente (Mexico) – June 13

14

Eduardo Oregón Benítez

Mexico

Seminarian

Tierra Caliente (Mexico) – June 13

15

Silvestre González Cambrón

Mexico

Seminarian

Tierra Caliente (Mexico) – June 13

16

Fr. Gisley Azevedo Gomes

Brazil

Stigmatines CSS

Brazlândia (Brazil) – June 15

17

Fr. Mariano Arroyo Merino

Spain

Diocesan/OCSHA

Havana (Cuba) – July 13

18

Ricky Agusa Sukaka

D.R. Congo

Caritas Worker

Musezero (D.R. Congo) – July 15

19

Fr. James Mukalel

India

Diocesan

Mangalore (India) – July 30

20

Fr. Leopoldo Cruz

El Salvador

Redemptorists

San Salvador (El Salvador) – August 24

21

Fr. Cecilio Lucero

Philippines

Diocesan

Nord Samar (Philippines) – September 6

22

Fr. Ruggero Ruvoletto

Italy

Fidei donum

Manaus (Brazil) – September 19

23

Fr. Evaldo Martiol

Brazil

Diocesan

Santa Caterina (Brazil) – September 26

24

Fr. Oscar Danilo Cardozo Ossa

Colombia

Diocesan

Villavicencio (Colombia) – September 27

25

William Quijano

El Salvador

Lay, Community of St. Egidio

San Salvador (El Salvador) – September 28

26

Fr. Ed Hinds

United States

Diocesan

Chatham (N.J.- USA) – October 24

27

Fr. Louis Jousseaume

France

Diocesan

Egletons (France) – October 26

28

Sister Marguerite Bartz

United States

Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (SBS)

Saint Berard, New Mexico, USA – November 1

 

29

Fr. Hidalberto Henrique Guimaraes

Brazil

Diocesan

Maceió (AL), Brazil – November 7

30

Fr. Miguel Angel Hernandez

Guatemala

OFM Capuchin

Esquipulas (Honduras) -  November 8

31

Fr. Jean Gaston Buli

D.R. Congo

Diocesan

Bunia (D.R. Congo) – November 10

32

Fr. Daniel Cizimya Nakamaga

D.R. Congo

Diocesan

Bukavu (D.R. Congo) – December 6

33

Fr. Louis Blondel

France

Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers)

Pretoria (South Africa) – December 7

34

Sister Denise Kahambu Muhahyirwa

D.R. Congo

Trappist Nun

Bukavu (D.R. Congo) – December 7

35

Fr. Jeremiah Roche

Ireland

Society of St. Patrick for the Foreign Missions

Nairobi (Kenya) – December 11

36

Fr. Alvino Broering

Brazil

Diocesan

Santa Catarina (Brazil) – December 14

37

Fr. Jaramillo Cárdenas

Colombia

Diocesan

Santa Rosa de Osos (Colombia) – December 20

 

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