Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Chimbote (Agenzia Fides) - The Vatican announced that Polish Order of Friars Minor Conventual Michael Tomaszek and Zbigniew Strazalkowski, along with Italian diocesan priest Father Alessandro Dordi, were killed "in hatred of the faith" in Pariacoto and Rinconada, in Peru on 9 and 25 August 1991 (see Fides 09/08/2011).
Fathers Michael Tomaszek and Sbigneo Strzałkowski, 30 and 32, were killed on August 9 1991, after being abducted in front of many parishioners while attending the sick in their parish. Father Alessandro Dordi was murdered on Sunday, August 25, 1991, while returning from the Vinzos community to his parish in Santa, after celebrating Mass.
His Exc. Mgr. Luis Armando Bambarén Gastelumendi, Bishop Emeritus of Chimbote and former president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, opened the cause of beatification of the three victims, as recalled in the statement sent to Fides from Peru. Father Angelo Paleri, postulator of the Friars Minor, explains in the note, "At the time, the Shining Path guerillas in the area had created a kind of parallel government, this meant the integration of existing authorities and the elimination of elements that were against this purpose".
The report of the "Comisión de la Verdad y Reconciliación" (CVR), attached to the cause of beatification, highlights the terrible actions committed by the Shining Path guerillas against the Church. The editorial of the Journal of the Shining Path announced with satisfaction: "the Maoist forces have murdered three priests". The same editorial denounced the two Polish priests, who distributed the aid of Caritas, as agents sent by the Pope, who are part of a conspiracy that "seeks to exploit religious faith of the people to strengthen the system of oppression in the country". (CE) (Agenzia Fides 04/02/2015)
