Grace Thompson
There have been several instances of Catholic bishops being held hostage or kidnapped. In 2024, a retired Roman Catholic Bishop, Msgr. Salvador Rangel, was kidnapped in Mexico. Rangel was famous for trying to mediate between drug cartels in the country. In 2023, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, offered to exchange himself for Israeli children taken hostage and held in Gaza. In addition, several reports have documented the kidnapping, arrest, and murder of Catholic priests and bishops around the world, with at least 132 instances recorded in 2023.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 April 2024 |
| Name | Msgr. Salvador Rangel |
| Location | Mexico |
| Abductors | Unknown, possibly the Tlacos, the Ardillos or the Familia Michoacana |
| Status | Disappeared |
| Health | Poor |
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What You'll Learn
- Retired Catholic Bishop Salvador Rangel kidnapped in Mexico
- Pope Francis' representative offers himself in exchange for Israeli children held hostage by Hamas
- Bishop Juan Posadas Ocampo killed by drug cartel gunmen
- Over 130 Catholic priests and religious arrested, kidnapped, or murdered in 2023
- Bishop Isidoro de Carmen Mora Ortega held in custody in Nicaragua
Retired Catholic Bishop Salvador Rangel kidnapped in Mexico
Retired Catholic Bishop Salvador Rangel, who was known for trying to mediate between drug cartels in Mexico, was briefly kidnapped and hospitalized in April 2024. The Mexican Council of Bishops reported that Msgr. Rangel, a bishop emeritus, disappeared on Saturday, and his captors were implored to release him and allow him to take his medications as "an act of humanity," as he was in poor health.
Rangel was the bishop of the notoriously violent diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa in the southern state of Guerrero, where drug cartels have long fought turf battles. He sought to convince gang leaders to end the bloodshed and broker agreements, walking a dangerous line to avoid antagonizing drug capos in cartel-dominated areas. If any harm had come to Rangel, it would have been the most prominent crime against a senior church official since 1993, when Bishop Juan Posadas Ocampo was killed in a shootout at the Guadalajara airport.
In February 2024, Rangel told The Associated Press that truces between gangs were "somewhat fragile" and prone to breaking down due to the nature of the drug trafficking world, where "broken agreements and betrayal occur very easily." Despite the risks, other bishops have also attempted to negotiate peace between cartels. In February, it was announced that a truce had been arranged between the Familia Michoacana cartel and the Tlacos gang, also known as the Cartel of the Mountain.
The chief prosecutor of Morelos state, Uriel Carmona, stated that preliminary indications suggested that Rangel's kidnapping may have been an "express" kidnapping, which typically involves quick abductions by low-level criminals with lower ransom demands to facilitate faster payments. While the Mexican Council of Bishops reported that Rangel was located and hospitalized, they did not disclose details of his release or the extent of his injuries.
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Pope Francis' representative offers himself in exchange for Israeli children held hostage by Hamas
On October 16, 2023, Pope Francis' representative in the Holy Land, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, expressed his willingness to exchange himself for Israeli children taken hostage by Hamas and held in Gaza. The cardinal, who oversees Roman Catholic activities in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, and Cyprus, made the offer during a video conference with journalists in Italy. He stated that he was ready for an exchange to bring the children home and that he was willing to do "anything" to secure their freedom.
Cardinal Pizzaballa emphasized the urgency of releasing the hostages to prevent further escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas. He also highlighted the Vatican's readiness to assist in de-escalation and mediation efforts, despite the challenges in communicating directly with Hamas. The cardinal's offer came in the wake of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,300 Israelis. Approximately 200 people, including children and the elderly, were taken hostage during the attack, and authorities believed that about a dozen of them were children.
Pope Francis himself has also been actively involved in advocating for peace and the release of hostages. In April 2024, he met with the relatives of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza since October 7. This marked the second meeting between the Pope and the families of the hostages. Pope Francis has consistently called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to facilitate humanitarian aid, negotiations to end the conflict, and the safe return of those being held captive.
The situation in Gaza is dire, with thousands of lives lost and thousands more wounded due to the Israeli strikes. Many Christians have sought shelter in Church buildings in northern Gaza after their homes were destroyed. Pope Francis has appealed for respect for humanitarian law in the region, emphasizing the urgency of ensuring humanitarian corridors and providing aid to the population.
In a separate incident in Mexico, a retired Roman Catholic bishop, Msgr. Salvador Rangel, who was famous for attempting to mediate between drug cartels, was kidnapped in 2024. Bishop Rangel's disappearance highlighted the risks faced by those working to bring peace to conflict-ridden regions.
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Bishop Juan Posadas Ocampo killed by drug cartel gunmen
While there is no clear evidence of a Catholic bishop being held hostage, there have been instances of bishops being kidnapped or killed by drug cartels. One such incident involved the retired Roman Catholic bishop, Msgr. Salvador Rangel, who was famous for trying to mediate between drug cartels in Mexico and was kidnapped in 2024. Similarly, in 2023, a Roman Catholic priest was killed in the Mexican state of Michoacan, making him the ninth priest slain in the country in four years.
One of the most notorious cases of a Catholic bishop being killed by drug cartel gunmen is that of Bishop Juan Posadas Ocampo, also known as Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo or Juan Jesus Cardinal Posadas Ocampo. On May 24, 1993, Bishop Ocampo was assassinated at the Guadalajara International Airport in Mexico, along with six other individuals. He was shot 14 times at close range while dressed in full clerical garb.
Bishop Ocampo was an outspoken critic of drug cartels and was known for crusading against them in his speeches. He served as the Archbishop of the See of Guadalajara from 1987 until his death in 1993. The archbishop had befriended the mother of the Arellano Felix brothers, who later became leaders of the Tijuana Cartel. This relationship may have contributed to the tensions leading to his assassination.
The circumstances surrounding Bishop Ocampo's death remain murky, with various theories and investigations suggesting different motives and perpetrators. The official narrative states that the Tijuana Cartel ordered the killing, mistaking Bishop Ocampo for Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, a drug lord from the rival Sinaloa Cartel. This theory holds that the similarity between Bishop Ocampo's car, a white Mercury Grand Marquis, and that of El Chapo's led to the fatal misidentification.
However, other theories suggest a more intricate conspiracy. Some allege that the Mexican government colluded with drug cartels and orchestrated the assassination to silence Bishop Ocampo, who allegedly possessed information implicating senior politicians in the drug trade and other illicit activities. These theories are supported by claims that Bishop Ocampo had been threatened by Mexican President Carlos Salinas just weeks before his death. The case has undergone four investigations by the Mexican Attorney General, and despite some individuals being charged and convicted, many questions remain unanswered, and the case is still open.
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Over 130 Catholic priests and religious arrested, kidnapped, or murdered in 2023
According to a report published by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, over 130 Catholic priests and religious were either arrested, kidnapped, or murdered in 2023. The report found at least 132 instances of arrests, kidnappings, and/or murders, which is slightly higher than the report from the previous year, which found 124. The uptick was mostly driven by arrests from authoritarian governments, which went up from 55 in 2022 to 86 in 2023.
The report found that 10 members of Catholic clergy were arrested in Belarus, three of whom are still imprisoned. Two Greek Catholic priests were also arrested by Russian forces in Ukraine, neither of whom have been released. The total number of kidnapped clergy and religious was 33 in 2023, which is down from 54 in 2022. All but five of the kidnappings took place in Nigeria, where religious and ethnic conflicts have made the country dangerous for Christians. There were 28 kidnappings in the country, including three religious women. There were also two kidnappings in Haiti. One priest was kidnapped in Mali and another in Burkina Faso. One religious woman was abducted in Ethiopia.
Murders of Catholic priests and other members of the clergy slightly decreased, from 18 in the previous year to 14 in 2023. Thirteen priests and one religious brother were murdered during 2023, though half were killed for reasons apparently unrelated to persecution. Seven of the killings took place in circumstances that were either unclear or not directly related to any confirmed incident of persecution. These included a bishop and a priest in the USA, a priest in Colombia, a priest in Mexico, a religious brother in Cameroon, a priest in Burkina Faso, and a priest in Nigeria. Of the other seven deaths directly related to persecution, Nigeria again had the highest number, with three.
In 2023, a Roman Catholic priest was killed in the western Mexican state of Michoacan. He was the ninth priest slain in the country in the past four years.
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Bishop Isidoro de Carmen Mora Ortega held in custody in Nicaragua
In December 2023, Bishop Isidoro de Carmen Mora Ortega, the bishop of the Diocese of Siuna in Nicaragua, was arrested and held in custody by the Nicaraguan police. He was the second bishop to be detained in the country, following the arrest of Bishop Rolando José Álvarez Lagos of Matagalpa, who was sentenced to 26 years in prison without a trial.
Bishop Isidoro de Carmen Mora Ortega was taken into custody after praying publicly for Bishop Álvarez, who had been imprisoned since February 2023 on charges of conspiracy, spreading false news, obstruction of justice, and contempt for authorities. Bishop Álvarez had been a critic of the Nicaraguan government, led by President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo, and his arrest was seen as part of a broader crackdown on Catholic institutions and clergy in the country.
In the days leading up to his arrest, Bishop Mora had celebrated a Mass in Matagalpa, asking people to pray for Bishop Álvarez and stressing the support offered by the Nicaraguan Bishops' Conference. He had also delivered a homily at the Cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle, where he reiterated his support for Bishop Álvarez and the Diocese of Matagalpa. It is believed that his arrest was linked to these public displays of support for the imprisoned bishop.
The arrest of Bishop Isidoro de Carmen Mora Ortega sparked concern and condemnation from various quarters. The independent press in Nicaragua, as well as international Catholic news outlets, reported on the incident and highlighted the increasing attacks on the Church in the country. The United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights also warned about the persistent restrictions on civic space in Nicaragua, amid a wave of arrests and repression targeting critics of the government.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, a retired Roman Catholic Bishop, Msgr. Salvador Rangel, was kidnapped in Mexico in 2024.
Msgr. Salvador Rangel was famous for trying to mediate between drug cartels in Mexico. He was the bishop of the notoriously violent diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, in the southern state of Guerrero, where drug cartels have been fighting turf battles for years.
Yes, there have been several instances of Catholic clergy being kidnapped, arrested, or murdered. In 2023, over 130 Catholic priests and religious figures were reported to have been arrested, kidnapped, or murdered. In 2024, Pope Francis' representative in the Holy Land, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, offered to exchange himself for Israeli children taken hostage by Hamas and held in Gaza.
