AMERICA/BRAZIL - Catholic priest of German origin murdered in Brazil

Belém (Agenzia Fides) - A Catholic priest of German origin, Fr Wolfgang Hermann, was murdered by a young man who broke into his home probably to commit a robbery on 10 April at Belém in the north of Brazil. The man has been arrested by the police. The diocese of Trier from where Fr Wolfgang Hermann, came, expressed its grief in a statement signed by the diocesan Vicar general Mgr Georg Holkenbrink.
Wolfgang Hermann (aged 46) was born in Bad Kreuznach (Germany) and ordained to the priesthood in 1985 for the diocese of Trier. He was chaplain at Dillingen and assistant priest at Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. From 1991 to 1995 he was parish priest at Idar-Oberstein. At his request he was sent on a five year mission as a Fidei donum priest to the diocese of Parnaiba in Brazil. At the end of the five years in 2000, he returned to the diocese of Trier, where he served until September last year as parish priest in Münstermaifeld, Gappenach, Nauheim and Pillig. In September 2006 he returned to Brazil. The diocese of Trier has said that at the request of his family Fr Hermann will be buried in Brazil. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 12/4/2007, righe 13, parole 191)