A Catholic clergyman perished in Kansas after being shot at his church’s rectory in an occurrence that a fellow pastor revealed to Fox News Digital has left his community in a “state of amazement.”
Gary Hermesch, 66, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was apprehended Thursday afternoon following the assault on Father Arul Carasala, 57, at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, as per the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Hermesch was held on suspicion of first-degree homicide.
“We’re all still in a state of amazement. I mean, this is small-town America. And Father Arul was such a cherished pastor in Seneca, Kansas. He had been serving there for over 13 years,” Father Brian Schieber, a Vicar General for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, shared with Fox News Digital.
“A good shepherd recognizes his flock by name, and Father Arul knew everyone. Throughout these years, he baptized numerous individuals, officiated many weddings and funerals, was an exceptional confessor, and was attentive to those who were ill. His pastoral wisdom made him truly adored by all,” Schieber added.
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Father Arul Carasala, a clergyman at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, Kan., was fatally shot on Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP/The Leaven)
Schieber characterized the shooting as a “pointless act of aggression.”
“We have no understanding of what the motive for this could have been. And, you know, we’re truly praying for the individual that took Father Arul’s life as well. Thank you all for your prayers,” he stated.
Deputies from the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Seneca Police Department responded to a 911 alert “reporting gunfire at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory” around 3 p.m. local time on Thursday, the KBI reported.
Upon arrival, they found Carasala “outside the residence suffering from gunshot injuries,” it stated.
Archbishop Joseph Naumann presides over a mass on Thursday, April 3, at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, following Carasala’s death.(Jay Soldner/The Leaven)
“Seneca EMS arrived and transported Father Carasala to the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital. Despite attempts to save his life, he succumbed to his injuries at the hospital,” the KBI further stated in a release.
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A mass was conducted at Carasala’s church on Thursday evening in the aftermath of the shooting.
Gary Hermesch was detained in relation to the shooting incident.(Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office)
“Father Arul was a friend to me and an exceptional priest,” Archbishop Joseph Naumann posted on Facebook Friday after officiating the mass. “I mentioned in my homily that being a priest in today’s world requires heroic love. That trait was evident in Father Arul, who left India to serve the people of the Catholic Church in the heartland of America in northeast Kansas.”
“While we continue to grieve the loss of Father Arul, I pray that we will not lose faith. God is with us in our trials and tribulations,” Naumann continued. “He can bring forth good from evil. He can bring new life out of death. Let us draw nearer to Jesus during this period of grief and ask him to comfort our hearts.”
Archbishop Joseph Naumann officiates a mass at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church on Thursday night.(Jay Soldner/The Leaven)
Schieber mentioned to Fox News Digital that “we are a small archdiocese, consisting of about 150 priests who are well acquainted with each other.
“We regard each other as brothers. And Father Arul was immensely supportive to me personally and will be profoundly missed,” he remarked.
The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas stated that “Father Arul was a dedicated priest who faithfully served our archdiocese for over two decades.
Carasala was found Thursday afternoon suffering from gunshot wounds outside the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory, according to officials.(Jay Soldner/The Leaven)
“Ordained in March 1994 in his native Diocese of Cuddapah, India, he served at Sts. Peter and Paul… and also held the position of dean of the Nemaha-Marshall deanery. His profound faith, pastoral care, and generous nature impacted the lives of countless individuals,” the statement added. “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.”
