Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bogotà (Agenzia Fides) – Another two priests were killed in Bogotà on Wednesday evening, 26 January. According to the message from the Episcopal Conference of Colombia, the murder of the two priests occurred in the quarter of Dindalito, part of the populous “Kennedy City” on the southern outskirts of the grand capital of Colombia. The priests killed were Father Rafael Reátiga Rojas, 35 years, pastor of the “Jesucristo Nuestra Paz” Cathedral, in the Diocese of Soacha (suffragan of Bogotà), and Father Richard Armando Piffano Laguado, 37 years, pastor of the Church of “San Juan de La Cruz”, Kennedy City.
The police report describes that the assassin was travelling in the same car as the two priests. After he shot one in the head and the other in the chest, bringing on their instantaneous deaths, he alighted from the car and escaped. According to eye-witness reports he was helped to escape by another car. Authorities are trying to find a reason for this horrific event.
According to two testimonies from the community parishes, the priests were very friendly with and committed to the people, fully dedicated to their parishes, and did not have issues with people. After the news of the assassination, many of the faithful joined together to protest against the violence that once again caused the death of two innocent people, who were just carrying out their duty to help the weak and the elderly.
The Secretary of the Columbian Episcopal Conference, Bishop Juan Vicente Córdoba Villota, stated that the motive for the homicide was not robbery, and he recalled that since 1984 there have been 74 priests, 8 men religious and 3 seminarians murdered in Colombia.
Fr Reátiga Rojas was the Treasurer for the Diocese of Soacha. Born on 25 June 1975, he was ordained a priest on 1 July 2000. Fr Piffano Laguado came from the Diocese of Fontibón. He was born on 4 February 1974 and he was also ordained a priest on 1 July 2000. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 28/01/2011)
