Carmelite Priest Murdered In India

(18 Aug 08 - RV) In India, Carmelite priest Thomas Pandippallyil was assassinated Saturday night while returning home from an afternoon mass. His body was found on the roadside near the village of Balampilly with wounds to the face, hands and legs, and his eyes gouged out.

The last people to have seen Father Thomas alive were religious sisters from Lingapetta convent, where the priest had stopped for supper before continuing his journey.

We spoke with the Archbishop of Hyderabad, Msgr Marampudi Joji, who said that this incident will not discourage the church from continuing its work in the area.