May 8, 1998

Page 1

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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.


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