MUMBAI, India – Archbishop Joseph Fred Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas said Father Arul Carasala was “a friend and a great priest,” speaking on Friday at the parish of the man shot and killed on Thursday in the town of Seneca.
Carasala had been the pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church since 2011, the year he became a U.S. citizen. He was originally from India, where he was ordained a priest.
“We prayed in confidence that Father Arul, who loved Jesus and followed him so zealously in this world, is with our Lord now,” Naumann said in a Facebook post.
“I shared in my homily that being a priest today requires heroic love. That quality was evident in Father Arul, who left India to come to the heartland of America and serve the people of the Catholic Church in northeast Kansas,” the archbishop wrote.
“While we continue to mourn the loss of Father Arul, I pray that we will not lose hope. God is with us in our adversity. He can bring good out of evil. He can bring life out of death. Let us draw closer to Jesus during this time of sorrow and ask him to console our hearts. My prayers are with everyone who loved Father Arul,” he added.
According to KMBC News, police arrested 66-year-old Gary Hermesch of Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the scene. He was booked into the Nemaha County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, according to the KBI.
Carasala had served the archdiocese in Kansas for more than 20 years.
He was from Hyderabad, India, was ordained as a priest in 1994 in the Diocese of Cuddapah in Telangana.
Cardinal Anthony Poola of Hyderabad said he was “deeply sorry” to hear about the death of the priest.
“My heartfelt condolences and memories of his life and service are a testament to the impact he had on the lives of those around him,” he told Crux.
“May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may his family, friends, and the communities he served find comfort and solace in their memories of him. My prayers and appreciation for his good works are a beautiful tribute to his legacy,” the cardinal added.
Shortly after the priest’s death, Naumann wrote he was “heartbroken” over his murder.
“This senseless act of violence has left us grieving the loss of a beloved priest, leader, and friend,” the archbishop wrote.
“Fr. Carasala was a devoted and zealous pastor who faithfully served our Archdiocese for over twenty years, including as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall region. His love for Christ and His Church was evident in how he ministered to his people with great generosity and care. His parishioners, friends, and brother priests will deeply miss him,” he continued.
“In this time of sorrow, let us entrust Father Carasala to the mercy of God and lift up in prayer his family in Cuddapah, India, his parish community at Saints Peter and Paul in Seneca, and all who mourn his passing. Let us also pray for the perpetrator, that God may touch and transform his heart,” Naumann said.
“There is no ongoing threat to the community, but I recognize the pain and shock that such an event brings. In moments like these, we turn to our Lord, who is close to the brokenhearted. As we grieve, may we find strength in our faith and in the hope of Christ’s Resurrection,” he wrote.
