ROSARY AND PRAYER VIGIL PLANNED FOR TWO PRIESTS,
ONE KILLED AND ONE SERIOUSLY INJURED
PHOENIX - As police investigate the murder of one Catholic priest and the senseless beating of another, plans have been made to honor their priesthood and offer prayers for the soul of one and recovery of the other. Tonight, Thursday, June 12, 2014, Catholics from Mater Misericondiae Mission and others from around the Diocese of Phoenix, will gather at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral at 7:00 p.m. The Catholic Cathedral is located at 6351 N. 27th, Avenue, in Phoenix (just north of Bethany Home Road). All members of the public are invited to attend this prayer vigil.
The Rev. Kenneth Walker, a 28-year-old priest and associate pastor of the mission, was shot and killed Wednesday night.
Rev. Joseph Terra, pastor of the church was seriously beaten and remains in critical, but stable, condition at a local hospital.
Police responded to the church to investigate a possible burglary and found one priest shot and the other badly beaten, according to several news reports.
The Diocese of Phoenix issued the following statement: "We are stunned and deeply saddened to learn of the tragic assault perpetrated last night against Fr. Joseph Terra and Fr. Kenneth Walker, two religious order priests who belong to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter." More news and information can be found on the Diocesan Catholic Sun website - http://www.catholicsun.org/2014/06/12/priest-killed-in-deadly-attack-at-downtown-phoenix-church/.
Both priests were members of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal service organization. Father Terra helped found a Knights of Columbus Council at his parish, where services are performed in the Latin Rite. State Deputy Bryant Sayers, leader of the Knights of Columbus in Arizona, said “Our thoughts and Prayers are with the family of Fr. Kenneth Walker (may he rest in peace), the parishioners of Mater Misericordiae Mission in Phoenix, and with Fr. Joseph Terra, that may he recover quickly. The Arizona Knights of Columbus stand ready to support Council 15576 and the parishioners of Mater Misericordiae Mission.”
For more information on the Knights of Columbus, or this media release, please contact John Garcia, State Public Relations Director for the Arizona State Council. He can be reached at telephone: (602) 525-4424.
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John S. Garcia
Public Relations Director
Arizona State Council
(602) 525-4424
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