Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Zamboanga City (Agenzia Fides) - The tragic death of Fr. Fausto Tentorio, PIME, raises "the urgency of peace on the island of Mindanao" and to repudiate the "total war on the island", this is what is said in a statement sent to Agenzia Fides by the movement for islam-Christian dialogue "Silsilah", initiated by another PIME missionary, Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra, in Zamboanga City.
Immediately after the death of the missionary, which took place on October 17 in Arakan, "there has been a week of violent deaths in Mindanao": in clashes between the army and Islamist rebels where 19 soldiers have been killed, and the Philippine armed forces have started bombing the positions of the guerrillas, in a conflict that continues to generate displaced persons. "The desire for peace of millions of people has been sacrificed on the altar of violence and too many have suffered the anguish of seeing their loved ones die a violent death", says "Silsilah".
The note recalls that Fr. Fausto arrived in the Philippines in 1979, "guided by the principles of his faith and the call to love God and thy neighbor": the same principles today must inspire coexistence between Christians, Muslims and Lumad (indigenous) in Mindanao.
The murder of Fr. Fausto is incomprehensible and questions remain unanswered "Who killed him? Why was he killed?", notes" Silsilah ". "All we can do - he concludes - is to trust in God the Father’s love, to appease our feelings of sorrow for the loss and frustration", putting faith "in divine justice" (PA) (Agenzia Fides 26/10/2011)
