After celebrating Mass on the Day of Consecrated Life, Pope Francis remembered Father Richard Masivi Kasereka, priest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, murdered last February 2.

“May the murder of Father Richard, victim of an unjustifiable and deplorable violence, not discourage his family members, his Religious Family and all the Christian community of that nation, from being heralds and witnesses of the good and fraternity, despite the difficulties, imitating the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd,” said the Holy Father, during the General Audience today, Wednesday, February 16, 2022, on greeting the Religious of the Order of Clerics Regular Minor.

Fides reported, in fact, that Father Richard Masivi Kasereka was murdered by armed men on February 2 in Vusesa, between Kirumba and Mighobwe, in the Lubero territory (North Kivu), when returning to his parish, after celebrating the World Day of Consecrated Life in Kanyaboyonga. He was killed three days before his 35^th birthday. He had led the parish of Kaseghe since October 31, 2021

Funeral

 The missionary news agency also reported that the Congolese Religious’ funeral took place on February 5. “With great sorrow, our diocese announces the sudden death of Father Richard Masivi Kasereka, member of the Order of Clerics Regular Minor and parish priest of the parish of Saint Michael the Archangel in Kaseghe,” pointed out a note sent by the Order’s General Curia.

Father Jean-Claude Musubao, Superior of the African Delegation of the Clerics Regular Minor, expressed his condolences in a press release in which he said that Father Richard was snatched from life three days before his 35^th birthday,” and that the Religious was at the head of the Kaseghe parish alone since October 31, 2021.

Translation by Virginia M. Forrester