AMERICA/VENEZUELA - The violent death of Father Wood, who had just launched a 'Campaign to protect Life and Peace

Puerto Ordaz (Agenzia Fides) – A Catholic priest, Fr Esteban Robert Wood, aged 68, parish priest of Sagrada Familia parish in Puerto Ordaz, was murdered in the evening of Wednesday 28 April, near the parish house in the Unare district of Puerto Ordaz, in the state of Bolivar, Venezuela. Fr Wood, originally from Vancouver in the state of Washington (United States), had been on mission in Venezuela for more than 23 years. The parishioners gave the alarm when the priest failed to open the church doors at six in the morning, as usual. A man who works in the parish found the body of the priest, who appeared to have been stabbed.
Local sources told Fides that Bishop Mariano Parra Sandoval of Ciudad Guayana, diocese which includes Puerto Ordaz, visited the parish house where the priest was found and said the crime was a sign of the climate of violence present all over the country. Both the bishop and the local authorities suspect that the attack was a robbery and ended with the murder of the priest.
Local papers reporting the incident had words of praise for Fr Woods: “a person of excellence and humility, we are all very sad” said a women who lives in the vicinity. Fr Miguel Angel Garcia, who works in a neighbouring parish, said “Fr Wood worked hard to promote the community. He also worked with projects of Ciudad Guayana”. Only a few weeks ago he launched a Campaign to promote Life and Peace, and to fight the very violence of which he became a victim.
The funeral was celebrated by Bishop Parra Sandoval, on Saturday 1 May. Fr Wood was buried in Venezuela, at the Cimitero Jardines dell’Orinoco, a Puerto Ordaz. The diocese of Ciudad Guayana has called on the community to take part in a march for Peace, next Saturday, 8 May. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 03/05/2010)