Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tanabi (Agenzia Fides) – On Sunday, December 13th, Polish priest Mario Uztazewisck of 65, was attacked during Children's Mass he was celebrating at 10 am in his parish in the Diocese of Sao Jose do Rio Preto, in the town of Tanabe, 477 km from Sao Paulo. Buzzini Marcos Guimarães Teixeira, 30, tried to kill the priest by pouring a pint of alcohol on his face and vestments. Police officers who were attending the Mass were in action in time to stop the man who was then arrested. At that time, the church had about 250 people.
According to Egidia Moraes, parish assistant, in the preceding days young Marcos "had come to the parish to talk with the priest, saying that he was an envoy of David and that he came to save the world." According to the staff member, during this conversation Father Mario was very kind to Marcos, and "had also given some books to the boy, who had shown his affection for the priest." "In our parish - continues Moraes - we have the tradition of saying the prayer to Saint Lucy. At this point, everyone puts their hands over their closed eyes. It was at this moment, when everyone had their eyes closed, that the young man chose to act."
Father Mario has suffered only minor injuries in the eye, because he was immediately assisted by a special treatment. The priest said: "We must pray for that person and forgive him. This person needs a lot of light from God, our forgiveness, and our understanding." Father Mario has been in the parish of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Tanabe for 15 years.
A few days ago, the Brazilian Bishops' Conference published a statement on the rising tide of violence against the priests in the country, entitled "Do not kill a brother." The statement deplores the 2009 assassinations of priests Ramiro Luden, Recife (PE); Gisley Gomes Azevedo, CSS, Brasília (DF); Roger Ruvoletto, Manaus (AM); Evaldo Martiolo Caçador (SC) and Hidalberto Henrique Guimarães, to Murici (AL). "We are shocked by the attacks on the priest Fr. Joaquim Fonseca, a Comboni missionary who works in Roraima," the statement adds, remembering a priest injured in recent days. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 16/12/2009)
