According to aid organization Aid to the Church in Need, more than 100 Catholic priests and religious have been kidnapped, arrested or killed this year. At least twelve priests and five nuns died a violent death, the aid organization reports on Thursday.
In addition, 42 priests and 9 sisters were kidnapped. At least 32 other men and nine women were arrested and held in church service.
Three kidnapped priests are said to be still missing. Among them is the German Hans-Joachim Lohre, who was kidnapped in November in Mali.
Seven priests killed in Nigeria
This year was especially dangerous for the clergy in Nigeria, where seven priests were murdered and 35 Catholic Church men and women were kidnapped. Although most were released, the fate of two kidnappers is unknown.
Two priests and a sister were murdered in the Democratic Republic of Congo, three priests were murdered by members of drug cartels in Mexico and two nuns were murdered in South Sudan.
In addition, according to information from Aid to the Church in Need, at least 32 clerics will be arrested in 2022 while performing their duties. “The latest cases involve four priests from the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church who work in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine.” There are fears that they will be tortured and accused of terrorism while in detention.
Situation in Nicaragua is worrying
The situation in Nicaragua, where the government is taking massive action against the Catholic Church, is also cause for concern. Eleven members of the clergy were arrested there. According to the papal foundation, it is difficult to estimate how many Catholic clergy have been arrested in China. However, clerics of the Underground Church have been kidnapped by the authorities for a period of time to urge them to join the state-recognized church.
Source: Krone
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