Priest killed in Nigeria over the weekend had local ties in Acadiana
A priest killed in Nigeria over the weekend had local ties in Acadiana.
Father Denis Osuagwu served as pastor over two churches in St. Landry Parish for 11 years before moving back home. Many people in the close knit communities say they are still shaken up by his untimely death.
“I found out early Saturday morning. Somebody called me and told me that he had been shot and he had been killed,” says Norman Rene, St. Ann’s Parishioner.
“My heart just kind of melted because we knew Father Denis was a no nonsense kind of guy,” says Karen Fruge, Holy Family Parishioner.
He was the former pastor of both Holy Family Catholic Church in Lawtell and St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Mallet. According to Nigerian newspaper “National Helm”, Father Denis was shot on his way to school by men believed to be associated with Nigerian organized crime, who specifically target teachers and followers of the Christian faith. Church officials say Father Denis served as pastor from 1999 until 2011. After receiving his doctorate at Southern University, he left Louisiana in 2011 to lecture at an institute in Nigeria.
“He taught political science back in his country and he knew his country was in distress and in a lot of unrest and he was looking forward to going home to where he could help educate people as well as in the church,” says Rene.
Norman Rene is a parishioner at St. Ann’s Catholic Church. He worked very closely with Father Denis. Father Denis officiated Rene’s wedding ceremony and also baptized his two children.
Karen Fruge attends Holy Family Catholic Church. She says Father Denis’ had a special way of baptizing children. “We have two boys and a girl. I distinctly remember him holding every child up when he presented them to the congregation and I remember him holding up my little girl because she had this long white dress and he said, “Look she has on a wedding dress, she’s getting married to Jesus.”
Rene will always remember the impact Father Denis had on the community. “Large impact, Father was about the children and getting people back into the church and getting them more involved. He was a real spiritual person and always had a smile on his face.”
Parishioner are in the process of planning a memorial to remember Father Denis.
News 10 reached out to Bishop Michael Jarrel about Father Denis’ passing. He says, “Father Denis served the people of Lawtell and Mallet for years as a faithful and devoted pastor. We pray for the repose of his soul and we pray for his family and for all who mourn his passing to eternal life”.
Father Denis Osuagwu served as pastor over two churches in St. Landry Parish for 11 years before moving back home. Many people in the close knit communities say they are still shaken up by his untimely death.
“I found out early Saturday morning. Somebody called me and told me that he had been shot and he had been killed,” says Norman Rene, St. Ann’s Parishioner.
“My heart just kind of melted because we knew Father Denis was a no nonsense kind of guy,” says Karen Fruge, Holy Family Parishioner.
He was the former pastor of both Holy Family Catholic Church in Lawtell and St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Mallet. According to Nigerian newspaper “National Helm”, Father Denis was shot on his way to school by men believed to be associated with Nigerian organized crime, who specifically target teachers and followers of the Christian faith. Church officials say Father Denis served as pastor from 1999 until 2011. After receiving his doctorate at Southern University, he left Louisiana in 2011 to lecture at an institute in Nigeria.
“He taught political science back in his country and he knew his country was in distress and in a lot of unrest and he was looking forward to going home to where he could help educate people as well as in the church,” says Rene.
Norman Rene is a parishioner at St. Ann’s Catholic Church. He worked very closely with Father Denis. Father Denis officiated Rene’s wedding ceremony and also baptized his two children.
Karen Fruge attends Holy Family Catholic Church. She says Father Denis’ had a special way of baptizing children. “We have two boys and a girl. I distinctly remember him holding every child up when he presented them to the congregation and I remember him holding up my little girl because she had this long white dress and he said, “Look she has on a wedding dress, she’s getting married to Jesus.”
Rene will always remember the impact Father Denis had on the community. “Large impact, Father was about the children and getting people back into the church and getting them more involved. He was a real spiritual person and always had a smile on his face.”
Parishioner are in the process of planning a memorial to remember Father Denis.
News 10 reached out to Bishop Michael Jarrel about Father Denis’ passing. He says, “Father Denis served the people of Lawtell and Mallet for years as a faithful and devoted pastor. We pray for the repose of his soul and we pray for his family and for all who mourn his passing to eternal life”.
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