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Roll of missionaries killed or missing in 2018


Source: Fides

According to data collected by Fides, 42 missionaries were killed around the world in 2018 - 36 priests, one seminarian, one novice sister and four laymen.

Missionaries have also suffered an increasing number of violent attacks, injuries and abductions in recent years. Italian Jesuit, Fr Paolo Dall Oglio, kidnapped on 29 July, 2013, in Raqqa, Syria, is still missing. No one has ever claimed responsibility for his abduction. There has been no news of Nigerian Holy Spirit Fr Gabriel Oyaka, abducted on 7 September, 2015, in the state of Kogi. There is still no certain news of Colombian missionary Sister Gloria Cecilia Narvaez Argoty, abducted on 8 February, 2017, in the village of Karangasso, in Mali, by Al Qaeda. Father Pierluigi Maccalli, of the Society of African Missions (SAM), who was abducted between 17 and 18 September in Niger, from the mission of Bamoanga, is still in the hands of his abductors.

AFRICA
In Africa, 19 priests, one seminarian, and one layperson were killed.

Nigeria

Fr Joseph Gor and Fr Felix Tyolaha were killed during an attack of shepherds/jihadies in the village of Mbalom, in the parish of Saint Ignatius Ukpor-Mbalom, at dawn on 24 April, during morning Mass

Fr Michael Akawu was killed on 18 August, in the course of a robbery.

Fr Stephen Ekakabor died on 23 August following grave cerebral lesions suffered a year prior, 12 February, 2017, during a robbery.

Fr Jude Egbom was shot dead during a robbery on 10 September in Umuwala, in Imo State.Fr Louis Odudu died in hospital in Warri, in the state of Delta, on 19 September four days after he escaped from his abductors.

Central African Republic

Fr Joseph Angbabata, of the diocese of Bambari, was injured on 22 March during an attack at his parish by an armed group, and died shortly afterward.

Fr Albert Toungoumale-Baba was killed in the parish of Notre Dame de Fatima, 1 May during a massacre by an armed group which attacked his parish.

Fr Firmin Gbagoua, Vicar General of the diocese of Bambari, was killed the evening of 29 June by a group of commandos assassins who broke into the episcopal residence.

The Vicar General of the diocese of Alindao, Fr Balise Mada, and Fr Celestine Ngoumbango, pastor of Mingala, were killed during an attack on the episcopal residence of Alindao, where they sought refuge together with others, on 15 November.

DR Congo

Novice Therese Deshade Kapangala was killed on 21 January, in Kintambo, north of Kinshasa, during the military's violent repression.

The body of Fr Florent Mbulanthie Tulantshiedi was found on 2 March on the banks of the Kasai River.

Fr Etienne Nsengiyumva was assassinated by a criminal in Kichanga, in the diocese of Goma, on 8 April.

Cameroon

Fr Alexandre Sob Nougi, of the diocese of Buea, was killed on 20 July, struck by a bullet during a clash between the military and separatists.

Young seminarian Gerard Anjiangwe was killed by a group of soldiers on 4 October.

Fr Cosmas Omboto Ondari was killed on 21 November, in Kembong, a few kilometers from Memfe, struck twice by a military vehicle.

Ivory Coast

Fr Bernardin Brou Aka Daniel, diocese of Abengourou, was killed during a robbery in the street, on 23 April.

South Sudan

Fr Victor Luke Odhiambo was mortally wounded on the night of 14 November by a group of armed men who attacked the Jesuit community of Cueibet, in the state of Gok.

Kenya

Fr John Njoroge Muhia was killed on 10 December, when he had entered a bank to deposit the offerings of the faithful.

Malawi

Rev Tony Mukomba, of the Archdiocese of Blantyre, died on 17 January, after being gravely wounded by a group of bandits the week before.

AMERICAS

In the Americas 12 priests and three laymen were killed

Mexico

Fr Ivan Jaimes, of the Archiocese of Acapulco, pastor of Las Vigas, and Fr Germain Muniz Garcia, pastor of Mezcala, died in an ambush on the street in the state of Guerrero, on 5 February.

Fr Rubin AlcAntara Diaz, judicial vicar of the diocese of Izcalli, was assassinated on 18 April, just before Mass.

Fr Juan Miguel Contreras Garci-a was killed on 20 April, at the end of Mass which he had celebrated in the parish of Tlajomulco, in the state of Jalisco.

The lifeless body of Fr Moiss Fabila Reyes, an elderly priest who was abducted on 3 April, was found on 25 April, in the city of Cuernavaca, Morelos.

The body of Fr Miguel Gerardo Flores Hernandez, who disappeared on 18 August, was found on 25 August, on an abandoned piece of land in the little city of Nueva Italia, in the state of Michoacan.

Fr Acmar Arturo Orta, who disappeared on 11 of October, was found the afternoon of 13 October, on Santa Maria Street, in Ley del Servicio Civil neighbourhood (Tijuana), with his hands and feet bound and with signs of violence.

Colombia

Fr Dagoberto Noguera Avendano, an ex-priest, was killed on 10 March, in his house, in Santa Marta, probably during an attempted robbery.

On 25 July, Fr John Fredy Garcia Jaramillo, was found dead with knife wounds in his home, in the Betlemme Los Almendros neighbourhood, in the south-west corner of Medellin.

Nicaragua

Rev Jose Maltez, who was part of the Salesian Oratory, died from a blow to the chest, on 5 June in Granada, during conflicts between bands and the city's defence groups.

Rev Sandor Dolmus, a young minister of Leon Cathedral, was shot while walking in the street, together with other youths.

Venezuela

Fr Iraluis Jose Garcia Escobar, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima parish, in the archdiocese of Barquisimeto, was killed on 9 July, by bandits during an attempted robbery.

Ecuador

Fr Arturo Rene Pozo Sampaz, pastor of San Juan, Quito, was found on 9 October next to his bed, with his hands and feet bound.

El Salvador

Fr Walter Osmin Vasquez, of the diocese of Santiago de Maria, was killed by gunfire on 29 March in the parish of Lolotique.

Peru

Fr Carlos Riudavets Montes SJ was found on 10 August, bound and with signs of violence, in the indigenous Peruvian Amazonian community of Yamakentsa.

ASIA

In Asia three priests were killed.

Philippines

Fr Mark Yuaga Ventura, head of the missionary station of San Isidro Labrador, was shot dead on 29 April.

Fr Richmond Nilo was killed 10 June, by two armed thugs, while he was preparing to celebrate evening Mass in the village of Mayamot, in the diocese of Cabanatuan.

India

Fr Xavier Thelakkat, a priest of Kerala, was stabbed to death on 1 March, by the ex-sacristan of the parish church of Malayattoor, who had been fired three months earlier.

EUROPE

In Europe one priest was killed.

Germany

Fr Alain-Florent Gandoulou, a Congolese priest, chaplain of the French-speaking, Catholic community in Berlin, was killed on 22 February, after a violent argument in his office.

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