THE FAMILY of an Irish priest murdered during a violent robbery in Kenya last week have requested that his body be returned to Co Limerick for burial.
Fr Jeremiah Roche was killed in an attack at his home in Kericho, about 250km northwest of Nairobi, where he served as a missionary with the Kiltegan Fathers for more than 40 years.
A spokesman for the Kiltegan Fathers said yesterday that while most missionaries were buried in their adopted countries, Fr Roche’s family had requested a burial in his homeland of Athea in west Limerick.
On his arrival back from Rome yesterday, Cardinal Seán Brady said he was “very saddened” to hear of the news of the vicious killing of Fr Roche.
Cardinal Brady said: “I deeply sympathise with Father Roche’s family and his confreres in the St Patrick’s Missionary Society [Kiltegan Fathers] at this very difficult time.
“The gruesome circumstances surrounding Father Roche’s death has also shocked all those who loved and admired him in his parish in Kericho and in his home parish of Athea, Co Limerick, where he planned to retire next year having spent over 40 years working as a missionary priest.
“Fr Roche’s death is a reminder to us of the great sacrifice of those who risk their lives answering God’s call to bring the Good News to the poorest of the poor around the world.
“I pray especially for the safety of our religious and lay missionaries who work under the threat of violence in their communities.”
Police in Kenya say they have launched a murder investigation.
“We are treating the killing as normal thuggery since the gangsters managed to steal a laptop, his mobile telephone and an unknown amount of money,” North West regional police commander Peterson Maelo told reporters.
“We have launched a manhunt for the killers.”
