Father Sylvester Okechukwu of the Diocese of Kafanchan in Nigeria was found murdered on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (Image: Diocese of Kafanchan, Nigeria. Image of Africa: Wikipedia)
ACI Africa, Mar 6, 2025 / 12:45 pm (CNA).
The Diocese of Kafanchan in Nigeria is paying tribute to Father Sylvester Okechukwu, a diocesan priest who was murdered on Ash Wednesday, March 5.
According to the information provided by the Diocese of Kafanchan, Okechukwu was kidnapped from his residence at about 9:15 p.m. on March 4.
After being taken by his abductors, the 45-year-old priest was killed in the early hours of Ash Wednesday.
“It is yet to be determined why he was killed,” said Father Jacob Shanet, chancellor of the Kafanchan Diocese.
In a statement shared with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, Shanet said: “Father Sylvester was a dedicated servant of God who worked selflessly in the vineyard of the Lord, spreading the message of peace, love, and hope.”
Okechukwu was always available and accessible to his parishioners, Shanet added.
“This untimely and brutal loss has left us heartbroken and devastated,” Shanet said in the statement.
“His untimely death has left an indelible void within our diocesan family, and we share in the pain of his passing with his family, friends, and all those who knew and loved him,” Shanet said, also calling for prayer for the repose of Okechukwu’s soul and inviting priests, religious, and all faithful to offer Masses and rosary prayers for the beloved priest.
Shanet also called for the youth and community members to remain calm and steadfast in prayer. “No one should take the law into their hands,” he stated.
Details of Okechukwu’s funeral arrangements will be announced when they are made available, Shanet said. “May we continue to hold one another in prayer and unity during this dark moment,” he added.
Insecurity is rife in Nigeria, where kidnappings, murder, and other forms of persecution against Christians remain rampant in many parts of the West African country, especially in the north.
On the day Okechukwu was kidnapped, the Diocese of Auchi in Nigeria also sent out a prayer appeal for the release of a priest and a seminarian who had been abducted from a parish rectory the previous day. The two are still missing.
Okechukwu’s murder follows a series of other incidents that have targeted Catholic priests in the country, the most populous on the continent.
On Feb. 6, Father Cornelius Manzak Damulak, a priest of the Diocese of Shendam, and a student at Veritas University Abuja in Nigeria were abducted and later escaped from captivity.
Later, on Feb. 19, Father Moses Gyang Jah of St. Mary Maijuju Parish in the Shendam Diocese was abducted alongside his niece and the parish council chairman, Nyam Ajiji. Ajiji was reportedly killed. Jah and his niece are yet to be freed.
Most recently, on Feb. 22, Father Matthew David Dutsemi and Father Abraham Saummam were abducted from the Diocese of Yola. They have not yet been released.
Nigeria has been experiencing insecurity since 2009 when Boko Haram insurgency began with the aim of turning the country into an Islamic state.
According to pontifical and charity foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, a total of 13 priests were kidnapped in Nigeria in 2024 alone, all of whom were eventually released, and one was murdered, for a total of 14 incidents.
In a note shared with ACI Africa, ACN said it has joined the Catholic authorities of Nigeria in their call for prayers for the repose of Okechukwu as well as in their appeal to the government to increase security and put an end to the climate of fear that reigns in many parts of the country.
This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.
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A view of the separation wall between Israel and the Palestinian Territories from behind a window in the Comboni Sisters’ house in East Jerusalem. / Credit: Marinella Bandini
Jerusalem, Feb 17, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).
The Comboni Sisters have been living on the border of East Jerusalem since 1967. Running along the border of their property is a wall, constructed by the Israelis in 2009, dividing the village of Bethany/al-Eizariya — renowned as the site of the resurrection of Lazarus. The sisters’ residence remains on the Israeli side, while the church and the tomb of Lazarus are on the Palestinian side, on the other side of the wall.
“For us, the passage from Scripture that says ‘in Christ the wall of separation between peoples has been broken down’ is very powerful [Eph 2:14], especially when there is a physical wall in front of us that clearly indicates this separation,” Sister Anna Maria Sgaramella, provincial councilor and coordinator of the Middle East Zone for the Comboni Sisters, told CNA.
Sister Anna Maria Sgaramella, provincial council and coordinator of the Middle East Zone for the Comboni Sisters. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Sgaramella arrived in Jerusalem for the first time on Sept. 26, 2000. The very next day, the second intifada — a major uprising by Palestinians against Israeli occupation — erupted. She witnessed the siege of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where she taught theology.
Later, she was transferred to Egypt, where in 2011, she witnessed the uprising known as the “Arab Spring.”
Since 2013, Sgaramella has permanently returned to Jerusalem and now faces another long and bloody conflict. “I have always been struck by the deep sense of hope and determination to move forward among the Palestinian people. With this war, I see it weaker; people are more exhausted,” she said.
A view of the separation wall between Israel and the Palestinian Territories from the terrace of the Comboni Sisters’ house in East Jerusalem. The wall, constructed by the Israelis in 2009, runs along the border of their property, dividing the village of Bethany/al-Eizariya in two, believed to be the site of the miracle of the raising of Lazarus. The sisters’ residence remains on the Israeli side, while the church and the tomb of Lazarus are on the other side of the wall. Credit: Marinella Bandini
There are currently six Comboni Sisters in Jerusalem and each is involved in a specific ministry. They usually come together for morning Mass and evening vespers as well as for meetings and reflection. Their community house is open to religious individuals seeking periods of study or discernment and serves as a center of spirituality for both the congregation and the local Church. The sisters host educational workshops and spiritual exercises as well as welcome pilgrims.
The Comboni Sisters in Jerusalem in a recent photo at the Jordan River. The Comboni Sisters’ community in Jerusalem currently consists of six sisters and each is involved in a specific ministry. Credit: Photo courtesy of Sister Anna Maria Sgaramella
Sgaramella shared with CNA what it’s like to live on the border.
“With the construction of the wall, we found ourselves in the middle, between Palestinians and Israelis,” she explained. “The Palestinians attempt to bypass the wall — especially to pray at the Dome of the Rock — while the Israelis try to repel them in an endless game.”
“Being in the middle is a physical position that has also become a spiritual one,” Sgaramella continued. “We had to reflect and decided to ‘stay in the middle,’ between these two peoples, to serve as a bridge between them. By placing ourselves in the middle, we listen to the injustice faced by the Palestinians and also to the fears of Israeli families.”
For this reason, the religious community has chosen to maintain a small presence in the Palestinian area. Two sisters reside in an apartment beyond the wall, about 100 feet from the Comboni Sisters’ residence.
The exterior of the Comboni Sisters’ house in East Jerusalem where the Comboni Sisters have been living since 1967. Credit: Marinella Bandini
“We desired to stay and share the lives of those people and accompany the small remaining Christian community there. Every time they need to reach the community, they have to travel 18 kilometers [about 11 miles] passing through the Israeli checkpoint,” Sgaramella explained.
The sisters do not do this simply in the spirit of altruism, explained Sgaramella, who is also involved in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. “We understood from the beginning that being in the middle comes at a cost. It often means getting hit from both sides. On one hand, there are stones and Molotov cocktails from the Palestinians that land on our property; on the other hand, we are under the smoke of tear gas launched in response by the Israelis,” she said.
One incident happened the night of Oct. 6, just hours before the Hamas attack on Israel. Some Molotov cocktails landed on the synthetic grass in the part of the property that houses the kindergarten, causing a fire — the signs of which are still visible today. The fire destroyed the grass, playground equipment, and blackened the recently painted wall.
The exterior of the kindergarten, housed on the Comboni Sisters’ property. In the background is the separation wall that was erected on the edge of the Comboni Sisters’ property in 2009.
The kindergarten is a work that the Comboni Sisters have been carrying out since their arrival and today it serves as an important point of connection with the surrounding community. This significance has grown, especially after the construction of the wall.
“The presence of the kindergarten has never been questioned, neither with the wall nor with the war,” said Sgaramella, who is the director. The kindergarten is attended by approximately 40 children, all of whom are Muslims, divided into two classes. Formally, it is under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Ministry of Education. “It is a project that meets the needs of the people; furthermore, episodes of violence never occur during the day when the children are present,” she added.
Sister Anna Maria Sgaramella of the Comboni Sisters talks with the children in one of the kindergarten classes hosted at their home in East Jerusalem. The presence of the kindergarten has never been questioned, said Sgaramella, the director. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Every morning, the children begin with a prayer. “We tell the parents right from the start,” Sgaramella explained. “It’s a prayer of thanksgiving for what God has created, for the day, for life, a blessing for parents, neighbors, friends, and also for children who suffer. We pray for peace in the world and in this country.”
Regarding the families, she shared: “There is great trust and respect. They usually choose to send their children here, especially for moral education and English-language instruction.”
Most of the children come from East Jerusalem, but some also come from al-Eizariya. One of the two teachers, Nihal Hashmime, who is also the vice director, has to pass through the checkpoint every day to get to work.
“With the war,” the sister told CNA, “we faced some educational challenges because initially, some children were absent. The work we do with them is to impart certain values, such as peace, friendship, love, and respect for differences.”
Play is also an important aspect. “Children here do not find toy weapons, and they are not allowed to bring them from home,” Sgaramella said.
“Our attempt in education and all other activities is to break down this wall that leads to seeing the other as an enemy,” Sgaramella said. “Sometimes it is difficult to recognize the universality of salvation. We know that Jesus died for everyone, but in certain conflict-ridden contexts, it is challenging to acknowledge the other as a brother. Personally, the field of teaching theology provides me with the space to build bridges among believers. Because in every religion, there are sincere believers seeking truth.”
Bishop Abdallah Elias Zaidan of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles serves as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace. / Credit: Joe Bukuras/CNA
Rome Newsroom, Feb 18, 2021 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- A Franciscan friar was ordained archbishop of Tehran-Isfahan this week and commissioned to “offer the light of the Gospel” in Iran.
Archbishop Dominique Mathieu, 57, was consecrated in Rome in… […]
3 Comments
Scott Perry, a US congressman recently revealed that USAID is a major sponsor of BokoHaram in Nigeria. Few years ago, hundreds of schoolgirls were kidnapped in Chibok Borno State when the current Nigerian vice president was the governor. How could such massive kidnap of schoolgirls take place in a place he was the Chief security officer without a trace, and what is the bishops conference of Nigeria doing to abate the killing and kidnapping of their members? We all know prayers alone cannot solve the problem. There’s need for a strategic approach before the entire country is islamized.
The plight of persecuted Christians in Nigeria (and in many countries according to Aid to the Church in Need) should be ever present in the minds of us Catholics who are able to worship in relative peace and safety. If we really believe that we all comprise the Body of Christ, how can we rest while our brothers and sisters are murdered, raped, displaced from their homes and whose lives are made miserable by systemic discrimination? I beg everyone to intercede daily for these suffering members of the Church. Urge your bishops to speak out on their behalf. Ask your pastors to include them in the daily Prayers of the Faithful. Write Secretary Rubio and insist that he cut off aid to those countries whose law enforcement and judicial systems turn a blind eye against crimes committed against Christians. I honestly believe that the Lord will hold us accountable for our passivity or indifference in this matter.
Scott Perry, a US congressman recently revealed that USAID is a major sponsor of BokoHaram in Nigeria. Few years ago, hundreds of schoolgirls were kidnapped in Chibok Borno State when the current Nigerian vice president was the governor. How could such massive kidnap of schoolgirls take place in a place he was the Chief security officer without a trace, and what is the bishops conference of Nigeria doing to abate the killing and kidnapping of their members? We all know prayers alone cannot solve the problem. There’s need for a strategic approach before the entire country is islamized.
The M word is prudently absent from this prudent article. These attacks and captures of Christians by M are not new. They are part of a “forgotten” history. See this article published in CWR and in The Postil:
https://www.thepostil.com/christian-slavery-under-islam-a-conversation-with-dario-fernandez-morera/
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2020/12/16/the-forgotten-history-of-christian-slavery-under-islam/
The plight of persecuted Christians in Nigeria (and in many countries according to Aid to the Church in Need) should be ever present in the minds of us Catholics who are able to worship in relative peace and safety. If we really believe that we all comprise the Body of Christ, how can we rest while our brothers and sisters are murdered, raped, displaced from their homes and whose lives are made miserable by systemic discrimination? I beg everyone to intercede daily for these suffering members of the Church. Urge your bishops to speak out on their behalf. Ask your pastors to include them in the daily Prayers of the Faithful. Write Secretary Rubio and insist that he cut off aid to those countries whose law enforcement and judicial systems turn a blind eye against crimes committed against Christians. I honestly believe that the Lord will hold us accountable for our passivity or indifference in this matter.