Kidnapped Ugandan Catholic priest's remains found in a Mexican mass grave

(Vatican Radio) From Iguala in Mexico, Reuters reports that the remains of Catholic priest, Fr. John Ssenyondo of Uganda who went missing in southwestern Mexico has been found in a mass grave as authorities searched for the remains of 43 missing trainee teachers feared massacred. The local diocese is said to have confirmed the identity of Fr. Ssenyondo this week on Friday.

The remains of Fr. John Ssenyondo, were dug up about a week ago and identified by the recovered skull as well as dental records. He had been missing since 30 April, this year.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, Mexico said the remains "were found in a mass grave with six other bodies," in the troubled southwestern state of Guerrero where the government say trainee teachers were abducted in late September by corrupt police in league with a drug gang.

Fr. John Ssenyondo, a Comboni missionary priest was kidnapped by a group of armed men.

On 30 April, this year, according to the Spanish language “Aleteia,” Father John celebrated a Mass with marriage in the Indian community of Santa Cruz. After the ceremony, he was intercepted by a group of armed men. From then on, nothing was heard of his whereabouts until now. Reuters says it is alleged that Fr. Ssenyondo was abducted by armed men after refusing to baptise a girl who was suspected of being the daughter of a local gangster, the spokesperson added.

Father John Ssenyondo was born on 25 December 1985 in Masaka district, Uganda. He was ordained priest aged 33 years on 3 August 1991.

He went to serve as a missionary in the Mexican Diocese Chilpancingo-Chilapa in 2008. He worked for sometime in the parish of Tlacotepec, in a community called Los Hoyos and was later transferred to the church of Nejapa.

While in Guerrero, according to a story by the Mexican news agency, Quadratín, Father John had already been a victim of crime. Father Victor Manuel Aguilar, Vicar General of the Chilpancingo-Chilapa Diocese  is quoted by Aleteia saying that Fr. John survived an attack a year earlier in his room. The criminal gang left him tied-up and stole a car and household goods.

On 15 May this year, the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa began a campaign of prayers in parishes, hoping that Father John would be returned safely.

The state attorney general's office said the priest had been reported missing but could not confirm that his remains had been identified.

On Thursday, a judge in Guerrero charged the city's former mayor, Jose Luis Abarca, accused of being the mastermind behind the disappearance of 43 rainee teachers.

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