Violence against Christians around the world continues to rise. So far ten Catholic priests have been murdered, and if the rate continues, it may surpass the previous year according to a report:
2019 is a bloody first half for Catholic priests. Through a balance of the news of the 5 months that have elapsed this year, it is possible to count that there are already 10 Catholic parents killed throughout the world.
Judging by the time elapsed and the number of deaths, which is concentrated between the American continents (with 3 cases) and African (with the remaining 7), if the average continues, everything leads to believe that the number of murdered priests will exceed that of 2018, period in which 18 priests were killed.
The first priest killed this year was Father Nicolas Ratodisoa, on February 14, in Madagascar, who, after taking the Eucharist to a sick person, was approached by criminals who assaulted him, robbed him and gave him 2 shots in the back. The next day, 15, in Burkina Faso, Father Antonio César Fernández Fernández was cruelly murdered by shots and the burning of his burning clothing. 18, 3 days later, in Colombia , Father Carlos Ernesto Jaramillo was stabbed by a group of young people who wanted to rob him.
Already on March 20, the body of Father Clement Rapuluchukwu Ugwu, who had been kidnapped 3 days before, was found in decomposition in Nigeria. On the same day, Father Toussaint Zoumaldé was assassinated with knife attacks in Cameroon.
At the beginning of April, day 02, Paul McAuley was found dead in Peru, a British religious of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.
In this month of May, which still has not ended, there are already 4 priests killed . The first case this month occurred on the 12th, in Burkina Fasso, when terrorists shot and killed Father Siméon Yampa. The second murder of priest in this month of May also happened in Burkina Fasso, the Spanish Salesian Father Fernando Hernandez, was killed by knife blows on the 17th. The next day, 18, Father Cecilio Pérez was murdered in El Salvador. And finally, on the 19th, Father Landry Ibil Ikwel is killed in Mozambique, the tenth priest killed this year. (EPC) (source, source)