Father Arul Carasala, an Indian origin Catholic priest in Kansas, was fatally shot on Apr.3 in Seneca, a small city in north central Kansas.
Fr. Carasala, pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, was described by church leaders and parishioners as a deeply committed spiritual leader and beloved member of the community.
Originally from Cuddapah, India, he had served in the Archdiocese for more than 20 years and was also the dean of the Nemaha-Marshall region.
He was ordained as a priest in 1994 in Diocese of Cuddapah, Telangana. He moved to Kansas in 2004 at the invitation of Archbishop James P. Keleher.
Father Carasala has been working in Kansas ever since and became a US citizen on May 20, 2011, in Kansas.
Earlier than serving at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, Father Carasala served at several other parishes in Kansas.
He became the pastor at various parishes, including St. Vincent de Paul in Onaga and St. Patrick in Corning.
