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Volume 7 Number 34
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
Vatican
«
May
8,
1998
News
Swiss Guard Commander, Wife, Slain In Apartment By JOHN THAVIS VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In what
ing been rebuked by Estermann
more
than once, including a formal reprimand
"momentary insanity," the new commander of the
in
Swiss Guard and his wife were shot to
passed over for a promotion, the spokes-
death in their Vatican apartment, appar-
man
the Vatican called a crime of
ently
Tomay was
by a disgruntled guard member who
Vatican officials discovered the bodof
all
three late on
May
4 after a
neighbor reported loud noises. The it
was treating the case as a double murder and suicide. Slain were Alois Estermann, 43, and Gladys Meza Romero, 47, his Venezuelan wife of 14 years, who lived in an apartment just below the pope's own residential building. Estermann had been appointed commander of the Swiss Guard only hours earlier by Pope John Paul
After Estermann' s appointment was
of the
he
left
investigation without the
its
assistance of Italian judicial authorities,
but he noted
that, if
Angelo Sodano, the
Cardinal
Vatican secretary of ebrate a funeral silica
state,
Mass
was
to cel-
in St. Peter's
Ba-
May 6. The Vatican did not specify
whether the liturgy would be held for the
Estermanns alone.
was
the first
murder inside the
Vatican in more than 150 years. The pope
was awakened and informed of the tragedy, and immediately went to pray in his
receiving room of the Estermann home. The Vatican said the
private chapel.
visibly saddened.
The gun
lay
under Tornay's body, and five shots appeared to have been fired from it. likely hypothesis
needed, such assis-
tance could be requested.
member
papal corps, near the other
"The most
to fellow
body of
in a
dard-issue, 9-caliber pistol.
Tomay had com-
commander
NavaiTO-Valls said the Vatican was
only weapon found was Tornay's stan-
victims
4,
behind for his relatives.
conducting
It
elite
May
guards, and later prepared a letter which
II.
Investigators discovered the
Cedrich Tomay. a 23-year-old
night.
also disappointed at being
plained about the
Vatican immediately ordered autopsies and, after an initial investigation, said
all
said.
announced
then killed himself.
ies
February for staying out
— much —
more than a hypothesis at this point is that of momentary insanity in a person with deep feelings that he was unap-
"The Holy Father was very moved, He made some very comments about the commander, which unfortunately Estermann positive
will never hear," Navarro-Valls said. In a telegram to
the
pope offered
Estermann 's parents, condolences and
his
prayers, and expressed his great sadness at the deaths.
preciated in the corps," said Vatican
Estermann, an
spokesman Joaquin Navarro- Vails. He said Tomay was resentful at hav-
1
8-yeai -veteran of the
ESTERMANN, ALOIS ~ Alois Estermann, recently appointed head of the Vatican's Swiss Guard, is shown in this undated file photo. Estermann, his wife and a younger Swiss Guard were found shot to death inside the Vatican May 4 in an apparent double murder and suicide.
See Esterman, page 2
Synod Members Say Asian Church Seen As Western, Foreign By
LYNNE WEIL
VATICAN CITY (CNS)
—
The bishop also said the group agreed Partici-
Synod of Bishops for Asia said Catholic Church was perceived across
pants at the the
the continent as "Western" and "foreign."
Members of
the April
19-May 14
synod reached several similar conclusions in working groups divided according to language Italian, French and English. "Our Christian faith must by all means
—
shed
unique salvific can make us ap-
that the belief in Jesus'
power
"is a belief that
pear arrogant unless a more humble
way
found by which the same tmth is put it down." But Bishop Arturo M. Bastes of Romblon, Philippines, said on behalf of is
across without watering
his group: "It is not
tme
ness of Christ as savior
that the unique-
is
hurtful to other
way
and become better inculturated, taking on an Asian face everywhere without in any way compromising or diminishing Christ's Gospel teachings," wrote Bishop Francisco F. Clavcr, apostolic vicar of BontocLagawc. Philippines, on behalf of one working group. "The inculturation of the
religions.
liturgy requires greater use of vernacular
and "mastering marketing techniques proven successful by
its
reputation as a foreign religion
languages and indigenous symbols."
It is
our arrogant
of proc-
lamation which turns them off."
American evangelists." Another group, whose ideas were recorded by Syro-Malabar Bishop Jacob Manathodath of Palghat, India, concluded that clergy are formed in Asia "according to the Western style." "Most of the seminary professors are
departments "exhibit more fully pastoral tention
and charity
to
to
promote ecclesial coinmunion." Bishop Armando Bortolaso, apostolic
Itahan-speaking group "suggested delving further into
"What they give us
of Jesus Christ as the
than formation.
formators
who
information rather
We need holy professors/ aie real gurus.
Only they
can form holy priests."
at-
they minister.
vicar of Alep, Syria, wrote that the one
trained in the West," the bishop wrote. is
whom
A warm and welcoming attitude does much
tlie
religious experience
way to interreligious some theolo-
dialogue, but to beware of
gians, especially the Indian ones,
have too strongly emphasized the
who
salvific
Bishop Ramon B. Villena of Bayombong, Philippines, summarized a number of ideas put forth for evangeliz-
group thought "ongoing formation, chiefly
A synod participant explained that the
spiritual formation, to face the socio-pas-
Italian-speaking group "tended to sound
ing Asia, including through the "use of
toral realities of today is very necessary.
more
shadow plays and pantomime,"
Bishops also need ongoing training." The group represented by Archbishop
portion of
Leonardo Z. Legaspi of Caceres, Philippines,
the eight groups that conducted meetings in
puppets,
"use of stories, including those taken from ancient
Hindu
tales,"
Bishop Manathodath also said the
suggested that
members of various Vatican
value of other religions."
curial" because
it
members of
had a greater prothe
Roman
Curia
than the two French-speaking groups and
English.