A mass will be held tonight for former Dundee priest Father Jean-Pierre Ndulani who was kidnapped by rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The popular priest was snatched at gunpoint along with two other priests on October 19 2012 by rebel forces in the war-torn country shortly after arriving back there from Dundee.
Bishop of Dunkeld the Right Rev Stephen Robson and priests from the Diocese will celebrate mass at 7pm tonight in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Nethergate, with all welcome to attend.
The body of Father Ndulani, who spent six years with the Diocese of Dunkeld in Dundee, was reported to have been discovered in a mass grave. However, this has not been verified.
Although reports came through that a reward had been paid for their release, the three priests were never set free by their captors.
Diocese of Dunkeld chancellor Malcolm Veal said tonight’s mass would be an emotional occasion.
He said: “Lots of people knew him and they loved him because he was a very charismatic man. It would be lovely if people turned up for the mass.
“We’ll probably never finally know what happened. Last time there seemed to be the impression they had found bodies but that’s never actually been said in the Congo. They have just found mass graves and made that assumption.”
Mother Marie-Aimee, mother superior at Wellburn Home, where Fr Ndulani spent six years, received an email from the DRC with information indicating the Assumptionist Father had been found in a mass grave with two other priests.
The email she received states that Saambili Bamukoka, chief of the local Watalinga-Kamango, believes the hostages taken by ADF-NALU have been slaughtered by the rebels in the aftermath of a DRC army victory over rebel groups.
However, last month Bishop Melchisedech Sikuli Paluku of the diocese Butembo-Beni, in which the three priests were serving, said: “I have been informed of the discovery of two mass graves containing various bodies, but it is not certain that among them are the bodies of one or all three of the Assumptionist fathers abducted in October 2012.”