Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


    December 31, 2011

Vatican: 26 Pastoral Workers Killed Worldwide in 2011

   VOA News
   A mourner attends a candlelight prayer ceremony for nun Valsha John at
   the India Gate in New Delhi, November 22, 2011
   Photo: Reuters
   A mourner attends a candlelight prayer ceremony for nun Valsha John at
   the India Gate in New Delhi, November 22, 2011. John, 52, was beaten
   and hacked with an axe by unknown assailants in India's eastern
   Jharkhand state where she had led a campaign for five years against
   alleged exploitation of villagers by private coal miners.

   The Vatican's news agency says more than two dozen priests, nuns and
   lay Catholics were killed worldwide in 2011.
   The Fides news agency announced Friday at least 26 people were killed
   in violence this year.
   Latin America recorded the highest murder rate for pastoral workers for
   a third straight year, with 13 priests and two others killed in 2011.
   Six church workers were killed in Africa, four in Asia and one priest
   was murdered in Europe this year.
   The news agency says 25 church workers were killed worldwide in 2010
   compared to 37 in 2009.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

.