Father Arul Carasala Obituary, Death; – A man has been apprehended in connection with the murder of a Catholic priest who was shot on Thursday outside his church residence in the small town of Seneca, Kansas. Gary Hermesch, 66, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been charged with suspicion of first-degree murder.
According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, a 911 call was received around 3 p.m. on Thursday reporting gunfire at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Father Arul Carasala, 57, outside the church residence, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, as reported by the KBI.
Father Carasala was transported to Nemaha Valley Community Hospital but succumbed to his injuries, according to the KBI. Troopers from the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to assist in securing the scene. Shortly thereafter, deputies from the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Seneca Police Department took Hermesch into custody, as stated by the KBI.
He has been booked into the Nemaha County Jail, although formal charges have not yet been filed, according to authorities. Kansas City Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann expressed his sorrow over the news of Carasala’s death, stating he was “heartbroken.”
“This senseless act of violence has left us mourning the loss of a cherished priest, leader, and friend. Father Carasala was a dedicated and passionate pastor who served our Archdiocese for over twenty years, including his role as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall region,” Naumann remarked in a Facebook statement.
“We are in shock and disbelief. We ask for patience as our parish community processes this tragedy. Official information will be shared as it becomes available,” stated Saints Peter and Paul Parish on Facebook.
Father Carasala was ordained in March 1994 in his home Diocese of Cuddapah, India, as noted by the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas.
“He served at Saints Peter and Paul for nearly 14 years and also held the position of dean of the Nemaha-Marshall deanery. His profound faith, pastoral care, and generous spirit impacted the lives of many,” the archdiocese conveyed in a Facebook statement.
