Mexico: 2 Elderly Jesuit Priests Killed After Gunmen Chased Man Seeking Refuge in Church

Two Jesuit priests were killed after a man chased by gunmen sought refuge at a church in a remote mountainous area in northern Mexico.

According to The Guardian, the two Jesuit priests were Javier Campos Morales, 79, and Joaquín César Mora Salazar, 80, who were killed inside the church in Cerocahui, Chihuahua on Monday.

The Roman Catholic Society of Jesus in Mexico released a statement demanding justice and the return of the men's bodies. The organization said the gunmen had taken the two elderly Jesuit priests from the church.

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed that the man seeking refuge inside the church was also killed.

Lopez Obrador said authorities have information about the possible suspects in the killings, adding that the area has a strong organized crime presence.

The gunmen did not kill a third priest, who was also inside the church for some reason. However, they refused the third priest's pleas for them to leave the bodies of his two colleagues, according to the press director for the Jesuits in Mexico, Narce Santibáñez.

Two Jesuit Priests Killed in Mexico

The surviving priest noted that gunshots at close range had killed his two colleagues. Citing the state officials and media reports, The Washington Post named the third victim as Pedro Eliodoro Palma Gutierrez, who is a tour guide.

The Jesuits said the killings were not an isolated event, adding that the Sierra Tarahumara region suffers violence and neglect.

Lopez Obrador did not provide additional details on the gunmen's identities and did not elaborate on why they were pursuing Palma Gutierrez.

The government of Chihuahua state said the priests appeared to be "victims of circumstances." The priests had spent decades ministering to Indigenous communities in the Tarahumara.

The killings caused sorrow and outrage among politicians, officials, human rights groups, and priests. Head of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party Alejandro Moreno tweeted that the government has "to urgently resolve the grave crisis of insecurity the country is living through."

The attack highlighted the dangers facing religious leaders and those who oppose crime groups.

Mexico's Response to the Killings

According to authorities, Mexico's National Guard and Ministry of Defense launched an operation to secure the area. Lopez Obrador noted that authorities are "looking into the situation," CNN reported

He said there was already some information on those possibly responsible for the crimes. The Society of Jesus described the region as under-policied, with violent attacks continuing to persist.

Since 2012, 34 priests have been slain in Mexico, including the latest victims. Many of those crimes remain unsolved.

The Jesuits' statement said they would remain present, working on their mission of justice, reconciliation, and peace. Aside from priests, about 30 indigenous leaders have also been killed in the area in the past two decades.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Two Jesuit Priests Murdered in Mexico - From Vatican Catholic Times