In a horrific occurrence on Thursday, an Indian-origin Catholic priest was shot and killed at his parish rectory in Kansas, United States. According to church officials, Father Arul Carasala of Seneca, a renowned pastor known for his dedication and compassion, died in the unfortunate tragedy. “I am heartbroken to inform you of the unfortunate death of Fr. Arul Carasala, who was fatally murdered earlier today,” Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas stated in an emotive Facebook post. “This senseless act of violence has left us grieving the loss of a beloved priest, leader, and friend,” according to the bishop.
Fr. Carasala has been pastoring Seneca’s Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church since 2011, according to his profile on the parish website. He was ordained as a priest in his own country of India in 1994 and spent years of service to Kansas after moving there in 2004. His dedication to the community was reinforced when he became a US citizen in 2011. According to a Facebook post from the parish, the priest was shot at the church rectory and died shortly after being transported to the hospital.
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Witnesses recall the frightening shooting occurrence.
Kris Anderson, the parish’s director of spiritual education, told the Associated Press that they had limited information. “From what we understand, an older man walked up to him and shot him three times,” she said, adding that she didn’t know who or why. Representatives from the Seneca Police Department and the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment. They referred calls to County Attorney Brad Lippert, who was abroad and did not immediately return a call or email from The Associated Press requesting information about the incident.
The community is reeling from the untimely death of a priest .
In his post, the archbishop stated that there was no ongoing threat to the community, but that he recognized the “pain and shock” caused by the priest’s death in the community of about 2,100 people in northeastern Kansas, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Topeka and 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City.
“Fr. Carasala was a devoted and zealous pastor who faithfully served our Archdiocese for over twenty years, including as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall region,” he wrote in a private message. “His love for Christ and His Church was clear in the generous and caring way he served his people. According to the Associated Press, his parishioners, friends, and brother priests will all miss him very much.
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