REMEMBERING FR. FRANCIS, MADHU, SVD ( 1976-2007)

At around five in the afternoon of  April 1, 2007, a Palm Sunday, Fr. Francis Madhu, SVD was shot dead as he was preparing to say Mass that fateful afternoon in barangay Mabongtot, Lubuagan, Kalinga in northern Philippines.
Consequently, a murder case was filed against three suspects: Nestor Wailan, Acmor Bonggawon and Joel Awingan. Wailan, the alleged triggerman was  shot dead by the Regional Mobile group in February 2009. Bonggawon was captured but was later on acquitted while the third, Awingan, remains at large.
We continue to search for a sense in the death of Fr. Francis who simply witnessed to a missionary life and enlightenment in  Jesus’ words: “I am telling you the truth: a grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains.” (John 12:24)
We continue to pay our respect to Fr. Francis while we remain hopeful that time will come that his death gets the justice it deserves. We, his confreres in the Society of the Divine Word, continue to grieve for Fr. Francis. In the same breath, we are proud that in his short and young missionary life, he has served the people well, and are sorry that others are deprived of a missionary like Fr. Francis.
On this day, April 1st, as we remember  and pray for Fr. Francis, we pray for all missionaries that they remain safe while being active Witnesses to the Word in their respective assignments. 
It is his 3rd death anniversary. We pray for the eternal repose of his soul.