Working for peace a deadly occupation

Embassies aren't the only dangerous places in Africa. A church, convent or rectory can also prove to be a killing zone.

Last week's bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, which struck at U.S. embassies but claimed more African lives than American, were rightly called "heinous" by Catholic leaders, including Pope John Paul II (see page 1).

But not too long before the explosions, the Pope had to mourn six other people -- all missionaries slain in Africa in the course of just one week in late July. As reported by Catholic News Service, the tally of martyrs includes:

* Sister Valens Mukanoheli, a member of the Benebikira Congregation, who was murdered July 31 in Rwanda. Church sources said she was shot in front of the mission in Gisenyi, about 55 miles northwest of Kigali, the Rwandan capital.

* Father Michel Halbecq, a Jesuit who was shot to death July 28 at his home in Brazzaville, Congo. He was surprised by a man with a gun outside his bedroom window. The intruder apparently fired through the window, striking the priest in the head. No motive for the shooting was immediately known.

* Three Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa's order, slain in Yemen on July 27 by a lone man with an automatic rifle. He killed the three nuns outside their residence near a social service center for the disabled where they worked in Hodeida, about 140 miles west of the capital, San'a. The victims were two Indians, Sister Tilia and Sister Anetta, and Sister Michael, who was from the Philippines. Police arrested a suspect who confessed to the shooting. Authorities described him as unstable and said he had been treated at the nuns' center.

* Franciscan Sister Theodelind Schreck, who was found July 26 shot to death about 25 miles from Eshowe, South Africa. She was principal of the Holy Childhood convent school in the Eshowe Diocese. Police arrested two suspects.

Reacting to the deaths, Pope John Paul asked all of us to pray "to the Lord, father of mercy, for these generous witnesses to the Gospel and for all the other victims of violence which, unfortunately, continues to bloody various regions of the world."

In short, the work of peace can be a dangerous occupation. It makes targets of diplomats, missionaries and ordinary people going about their daily business. Catholics, whose hall of fame is packed with martyrs, know the power of peaceful witness, which we are called to exercise in our own territories of family, work, neighborhood and community.

(08-13-98)

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