Children Pray for Kidnapped Priest

...news of the kidnapping of Fr Carlos Yepes...

The children at Casa Walsingham were getting ready for a birthday party today (22nd April 2002) when news was received of the kidnapping of their friend Fr Carlos Yepes. Since the assassination of the Archbishop of Cali, Monseñor Isaías Duarte Cancino, on 16th March, increasing numbers of clergy in Colombia have become the targets of threats, kidnap and murder as they try to protect their people in the brutal war that is being waged between various guerrilla and paramilitary groups.

Yesterday FARC guerrillas seized Fr Carlos together with Guillermo Gaviria, Governor of the Department of Antioquia, and Gilberto Echeverri, the local Peace Commissioner, when they were leading more than 1,000 people on a five day peace march from Medellín to Caicedo. The marchers were calling for an end to the violence which had claimed 1,257 lives in the Medellín area between 1st January and 8th April alone.

Fr Carlos, who is currently Chaplain at the Alpujarra, the Departmental administrative centre, was formerly parish priest at the church in Medellín to which Fr Peter is attached. His work with the children and young people there was very successful and he is still greatly loved in the parish.

When the children at Casa Walsingham heard of the kidnapping of Fr Carlos, they joined Fr Peter in prayers for his speedy release. The birthday celebrations then went ahead, but the plight of Fr Carlos and his companions remain in the minds of everyone.

THE CHILDREN AND STAFF OF FUNVINI AND LET THE CHILDREN LIVE! DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF FR CARLOS YEPES AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED IN COLOMBIA.

• STOP PRESS: Fr Carlos was freed later on Monday but his companions remain in the hands of the guerrillas.