Franciscan reaches out to relatives of murdered children

Published: 2004-06-10

BALTIMORE (CNS) -- On his 14th anniversary of ordination, as he joined in a June 2 prayer vigil for three children who were brutally murdered, Franciscan Father Dennis Klemash recalled what he considered "a really defining moment of what it meant to be a priest." In an interview with The Catholic Review, Baltimore archdiocesan newspaper, he said, "I've long felt that one of the best qualities that has shaped my priesthood has been when people in need didn't have the words to speak and we were able to speak for them." He said, "My responsibility was to speak the words of faith that couldn't be spoken because of the grief." Father Klemash was remembering the night of May 27, when one 10-year-old and two 9-year-olds were murdered in the Park Heights neighborhood of Baltimore. The children were identified as Ricardo Solis Quezada Jr. and his sister, Lucero Solis Quezada, both 9, and their cousin, Alexis Espejo Quezada, 10. The children's uncle, Policarpio Espinoza, 22, and their cousin, Adan E. Canela, 17, have been accused of the murders.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .