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Nigerian Priest Dies by Suicide Before Forced Return to Africa

Father Benjamin Okwy Madu, 54, a Nigerian Catholic priest serving in the Archdiocese of Boston, died by suicide on July 2.

The tragic sin happened weeks before his U.S. religious-worker visa expired and he was required to return to Nigeria.

He had served as a hospital chaplain and a weekend Mass celebrant for a parish collective on Cape Ann.

An email message on behalf of Archbishop Richard Henning said the priest “tragically took his own life.”

Friends and parishioners said the prospect of leaving America deeply distressed him. "I sensed he was afraid of something. He never would communicate what it was." — George Lieser, parishioner at St. Joachim Church, told ACI Africa on July 14.

Days before his death, he reportedly suffered a panic attack on his way to celebrate Mass.

In a farewell letter, he admitted that returning to Nigeria was "not my wish," but said circumstances beyond his control had ended his ministry in the United States.

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yuca2111

Suicide is never permited, true, unless... THE only cases ARE when Almighty Father MAY grant Mercy to those with Clinical evidence.
There are some illneses like for example acumulation of lewy bodies in the brain (Robin Williams is one case as example) replication of dna like huntigton's disease... The individual, clinically speaking, dont have rationality when their brains are compromised biologically with strange and weird diseases. Again, God is the Righteous and Ultimate Judge, He may or may not take that into account, but it is more likely than not that He will. I surrender to His Might and Divine and Just Mercy as He knows best.

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SonoftheChurch

I thought DHS had worked something out with the USCCB so that foreign Priests and Religious could remain and not have to worry about being deported.

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Father Karl A Claver

This poor soul lost his faith and trust in God. Suicide is never permitted.

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