Churchgoers in Seneca, Kansas, expressed deep shock and sorrow after Father Arul Carasala was shot and killed outside the rectory of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Community members described the loss as akin to losing a family member.
Witness Betty Haug was in her backyard when she saw the alleged shooter, identified by authorities as Gary Lee Hermesch, 66, approach Carasala and fire multiple shots on Thursday afternoon, The Kansas City Star reported.
Hermesch, who grew up in Nemaha County but recently resided in Tulsa, Oklahoma, allegedly shot Carasala three times before turning himself in to the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office two blocks away, where his brother is employed as a dispatcher.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.
Emergency responders transported Carasala to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries shortly afterward.
Carasala, originally from India, had served as the pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church since 2011.
He was ordained as a priest in 1994 and moved to Kansas in 2004, becoming a U.S. citizen in 2011, according to ABC News. His role included serving as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall region within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.
The accused, Hermesch, appeared in Nemaha County District Court on Friday afternoon, where prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder. District Court Judge Scott M. Anson scheduled a preliminary hearing for April 15, KSHB (NBC 41) reported.
Following news of Carasala’s death, parishioners quickly organized a mass and rosary on Thursday afternoon, drawing a significant number of attendees despite short notice. On Friday, community members visited the rectory, leaving flowers and tokens of remembrance at the doorstep.
Greg Kohake, a parishioner and member of the Seneca Knights of Columbus, described Carasala not only as a pastor but as a friend who had built lasting relationships during his 14-year tenure. Kohake requested prayers not just for the community but for Christianity as a whole, including the perpetrator.
Carasala had developed strong connections with local residents, especially children from Saints Peter and Paul School.
Tina Strathman, whose family had deep personal ties with Carasala — including his officiating at her son’s wedding and baptizing her grandchildren — recalled his consistent friendliness and his fondness for engaging with students.
Parishioners noted that Carasala frequently played dodgeball with the schoolchildren and regularly greeted everyone with a handshake and a smile.
Several local businesses also expressed disbelief over the tragedy.
Diann Funk, an employee at Seneca Variety, was quoted as saying that such violence was unexpected in their tight-knit community.
Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City described Carasala as a devoted pastor whose death deeply impacted his parishioners, friends and fellow priests.
