Pope 'saddened' by shooting of bishop

Pope Benedict XVI was “deeply saddened” by the killing of a Roman Catholic bishop in Kenya this week and expressed hope the prelate’s death would “hasten the dawn” of peace and reconciliation in the African country, the Vatican said today.

Bishop Luigi Locati, 76, was shot to death on Thursday night as he walked with a guard to his house from a dining hall for Catholic clergy in Isiolo, where he was based, about 125 miles northeast of Kenyan capital Nairobi.

“The Holy Father was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of bishop Luigi Locati, and he extends heartfelt condolences and the assurance of his closeness in prayer to the clergy, religious and faithful of the vicariate apostolic of Isiolo,” said a telegram sent by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican’s secretary of state.

Kenyan police had detained two people for questioning in the killing and said they were investigating attempted robbery as a possible motive.

The Catholic Information Service for Africa said that Locati had escaped two other attempts on his life during his tenure in the remote area of central Kenya.

Benedict said the bishop had a noble soul and praised the advancement of human dignity which characterised his priestly and episcopal ministry.”

The pontiff also “prays that Bishop Locati’s death may hasten the dawn of that peace and reconciliation to which he devoted himself to the last,” the telegram said.

The pope expressed his condolences from his holiday retreat in the Italian Alps.