Catholic World News News Feature

Another missionary murdered in Kenya November 26, 2004

An Irish priest working in Kenya was killed by a youth gang at his parish church outside Nairobi on November 25.

Father John Hannon was founded dead at his residence in Ngong on Thursday. He had been severely beaten by young men with clubs, who had broken into his home and demanded money, police reported.

Kenyan authorities said that they are investigating the killing, and have not yet determined a motive. Police officials were not prepared to say whether the killing was a random act of gang violence, or an attempt to intimidate the Church.

Church leaders in Kenya are still looking for an adequate explanation of the death of another missionary priest, Father John Anthony Kaiser, who was found dead of a gunshot wound in August 2000. Although an original probe yielded a finding of suicide, persistent demands by the Kenyan Catholic hierarchy resulted in the re-opening of the case, and an investigative panel has subsequently heard many witnesses testify that Father Kaiser had been threatened by powerful officials because of his outspoken criticism of corruption in government.