Consolata Missionaries’ Position on Death Penalty

By Fr. Franco Cellana Regional Superior, Kenya

In its issue No. 126 (Friday, December 10, 2010), CISA carried a “Response to Fr. Bertaina’s case” and from it, the reader may be led to believe that the Consolata Missionaries rejoice at the prospect of a death penalty being carried out. We only recognise the verdict of the High Court of Nairobi delivered by Lady Justice Jessie Lessite against those who were charged with murdering our late missionary Fr. Giuseppe Bertaina IMC, appreciating the course and the steps that the High Court of Nairobi has taken in such a short time to solve the case. We, the Consolata Missionaries in Kenya would, thus, wish to make widely known our position as it was expressed by our General Superior, Fr. Aquiléo Fiorentini and his Council only a few days after the conclusion of the case in the High Court of Kenya.

Official Communiqué from the General Direction of The Consolata Missionary Institute

As regards the press releases concerning the death sentence pronounced against the two persons considered guilty of the murder of Fr. Giuseppe Bertaina IMC in Nairobi (Kenya) on January 19, 2009, the Consolata Missionaries consider it appropriate to make some clarifications.

1. We consider it a positive step that the High Court has taken into consideration and solved this case, contrary to what happened in similar cases never solved like the murders of Fr. Michele Stallone IMC killed at Loyangallani in 1965, Fr. Luigi Graiff IMC killed at Parkati (Baragoi) in 1981, Fr. Luigi Andeni IMC killed at Archer’s Post in 1998 and Bishop Luigi Locati IMC of Isiolo killed in 2005, just to name a few.

2. The Superior General, however, has already sent for filing, in the High Court of Nairobi, a letter in which he requests that the death sentence pronounced by the court against the two persons considered guilty of the murder of our confrere, Fr. Giuseppe Bertaina should not be carried out but rather commuted at most to life imprisonment. As Christians, and even more as missionaries, we are totally against the death penalty, as we are also against every feeling and act of violence.

3. We also consider that, if the death sentence were to be carried out, this would be a great offence to the memory of Fr. Giuseppe Bertaina, who spent all his existence for the life and promotion of the people of Kenya, working with passion and generosity for the formation of several generations of students. It is because of this commitment for life that he met his death and he could not desire anything else but redemption and life.

Fr. Aquileo Fiorentini, General Superior of The Consolata Missionaries Rome, October 28, 2010