Kenya: appeal for prayers from Trappist monastery surrounded by mob

The Abbey of the Genesee, a Trappist Abbey in New York, has sent this appeal for prayers.

Our Trappist brothers of Our Lady of Victory Abbey in Kenya, East Africa find themselves right in the middle of the violence that erupted in that country. The following bulletin was posted on the Order's web site requesting prayers for them: This message was sent on Sunday, January 20 2008, to the Generalate by Dom Bernardus of Tilburg who has been in contact with Dom Dominic of Victoria Abbey in Kenya and Mgr. Lebeaupin, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya.

"The Monastery has been surrounded since Saturday, January 19, by a group of young men who want to attack the monastery and the some 600 refugees about 125 families living in the monastery. These people are members of the Kikuyu and Kisii tribes who live in the neighbourhood of the monastery. These people took refuge in the monastery when the political disturbances began. The young men who want to attack the monastery presumed that the refugees had vacated the area completely. When they became aware that the people are in the monastery and that they will return to their property, the young men burned all their homes. The police who were present to protect the people and the monks took sides with the young men. On Monday, January 21, Abbot General was able to phone Dom Dominic. It seems that the situation is worsening. Let us pray for the Community and the refugees and the situation in Kenya."