Father Christian Carlassare, an Italian missionary and elected bishop of the diocese of Rumbek, in South Sudan, was wounded by two armed men;
it is in stable condition.
This was reported by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need.
Originally from Schio (Vicenza), he
is the youngest Italian bishop
.
Appointed by Pope Francis on March 8 this year, he should be ordained bishop at the end of May.
"During the night we learned of the attack on the newly elected bishop of the diocese of Rumbek Fr Cristian Carlassare. The Comboni missionary was immediately transported to the hospital in Juba", reports the Fides agency.
"Fr. Cristian was beaten, together with the nun who was with him, then they shot him four bullets in the legs. According to the first news, the attack was planned to scare him so that he will not be consecrated bishop". In fact, in the next few days, the consecration of the Comboni missionary as bishop (the youngest among the Italians with his 43 years) of the diocese of Rumbek is foreseen. Cesare Mazzolari in 2011 remained vacant. "During the night we learned of the attack on the newly elected bishop of the diocese of Rumbek Fr Cristian Carlassare. The Comboni missionary was immediately transported to the hospital in Juba", reports the Fides agency. "Fr. Cristian was beaten, together with the nun who was with him,then they shot him four bullets in the legs. According to the first news, the attack was apparently planned to scare him so that he will not be consecrated bishop. "In fact, in the next few days, the consecration of the Comboni missionary as bishop (the youngest among the Italians with his 43 years) is expected. of the diocese of Rumbek which had remained vacant since the death of Bishop Cesare Mazzolari in 2011.
"
Pray not so much for me but for the people of Rumbek who suffer more than me
"This was stated by Father Christian Carlassare, the bishop of Rumbek and a Comboni missionary wounded today in South Sudan, in a statement reported by the website of the a Nigrizia. The bishop, reports the Comboni website," is out of danger and CUAMM doctors are taking care of him in the hospital in Rumbek, but he has lost a lot of blood and will soon be transferred to the capital Juba and then to Nairobi, where he will undergo a transfusion. Conscious and suffering, Father Christian telephoned the family directly to inform them. "The ambush, according to what the Comboni Missionaries reported, took place thirty minutes after midnight by two armed people. Two armed people, who broke into the house of Monsignor Carlassare, acted. and shot him in the legs. Rumbek's faithful,diocese with a Dinka majority born in 1975, one of the most numerous ethnic groups in the country, had welcomed Father Christian on April 16 last. "But probably - comments Nigrizia -
some did not mind that a young man who had come from afar and had worked for fifteen years with the other predominant ethnic group in the country, the Nuer, had been chosen precisely to lead the diocese
".
