By: Fr. Frank Connon CSsR

Father Frank, Connon, CSsR is in-charge of the Justice and Peace Disk of the Redemptorist Fathers in Cebu  City

Father Nerilito Satur, 30 years old, was ambushed and killed in Valencia, Bukidnon, on October 14th. The killing took place on the lonely dirt road about 18 kilometers from the town. The priest celebrated Mass for the people in Sitio Tambalan, Guinoyoran, Valencia.

The motive of killing was clear to everyone. The young priest was slain because of his active participation in the anti-logging stand and campaign of the Diocese of Bukidnon. This work of the Diocese is carried out in cooperation with the department of Environment of Natural Resources (DENR).

Fulgencio Factoran, Secretary of the DENR, had deputized five priest and deacons in the diocese as officers of DENR in September 1990. By virtue of the deputation , they were authorized “to seize/confiscate the forest products cut, gathered or removed by the offenders in the process of committing the offense”.

Father Satur, together with the Police Department in Valencia, had confiscated some 6,000 board feet timber worth several thousands dollars.
Bishops Gaudencio Rosales said in his sermon at the funeral mass, “Father Nery took up the local Church’s vision and defended the integrity of the little remaining forest within his parish. That was part of his service to his people, most whom are farmers in the province that had been declared a Total Log Ban area.

Some 100 priest and religious and over 2,000 faithful from the parishes in the diocese attended the funeral rites.

The bishops asked the question: “Will the selfish and the greedy and the violent ever stop the Church from preaching the Good News? Or from freeing people from unjust attitudes and selfish values ultimately -in Jesus- liberating them from sin, the root cause of human misfortune? The answer to that, the bishops said, ”is No!”

The Church is committed to preach the Gospel of Freedom in Jesus. And each priest is sworn and ordained precisely to bring Jesus as Savior to men and women of all times and longings. It is actually today, while others are asking for miracles and wonders, others for money, still many more are grooming  for power, that the Father Nery and the rest of us in the local church of Bukidnon are giving the people, Christ and Him crucified (1Cor. 1:23).