More priests joining Colombian guerrillas

The recent capture of Fr. . Luis Zabala Herrera by the Colombian army in an antiguerrilla military operation highlighted a little known fact in that Latin American country — that more and more priests and committed Catholics are taking part in guerrilla actiVities against reactionary government authorities. The first priest to take up. arms against the government in Colombia was Fr. Camilo Torres, who was killed in an army ambush in 1968, a few months before the second meeting of the Latin American Bishops' Council in Medellin, Colombia.
Fr. Torres became a symbol of the Christian commitment to the poor and to the liberation of the continent, and a whole new concept of the theology of liberation began evolving among many religious groups throughout Latin America.
Out of these groups came the Chilean Christians for Socialism, the Argentinian Third World Priests' Movement and the Colombian Golconda Group. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church as a whole in Latin America was moving towards a more progressive position after the 1968 Medellin Conference, undoubtedly influenced to a certain extent by the shock of the death of Torres.
The latest campaign by the Colombian army — begun in September — to rout the guerrilla groups in the Antioquid area has been one of the most successful undertaken in many years, and some 200 guerrillas have already been captured or killed.
Two high officials of the Jercite de Liberacion Nacional — the National Liberation Army — and brothers of its leader, Fabio Vasquez Castano, were killed during an ambush last month.
According to intelligence sources, casualties among the Liberation Army ranks have caused a Spanish priest, Fr. Domingo Lain to rise to a leadershipposition and to become the "intellectual mentor" of the guerrilla movement. Fr. Lain had been previously expelled from the country, but returned illegally.
A recently ransomed landowner, Alirio Serrano Sanchez, said that during his sixweek captivity he saw at least six priests among the guerrillas, but that he could not identify • any of them. His kidnappers operated in the Department of Santander, in the north-east part of the country.
It is known that two Spanish priests joined the guerrilla movement two years ago — Fr. Manuel Peroz and a Fr. Guerrero.
Fr. Zabala's capture has also uncovered the fact that three more priests from the Bucaramanga diocese have also joined the guerrillas and abandoned their pastoral work. They are Frs. Laurcntino Rueda, Pedro Duarte and Jose Esgtierra.
The army has made raids in several Colombian cities and has captured some priests. accusing them of co-operating with the guerrillas. Fr. Saul Anaya and Roberto Becerra Pinilla are to be tried by a military court.
Fr. Cristobal Gaitan vva\ arrested early last month, allegedly while preparing to deliver medicine and Food to the Fuerzas Amadas Revolucionarias Colombianas, another guerrilla army.
Convention in London by Serrans
Serra international will hold its 1974 convention in London on July 14-17, according to Gerald Murphy, general chairman of Convention '74.
"For the first time in Serra convention history," said Mr. Murphy, "there will be in attendance as many European Serrans and Serrans from the other 25 countries in the Serra Movement as'there are f1:0111 the United States."
British Serrans, convention hosts, have arranged a reception for Serrans at the Guildhall in London. Another highlight will be a pontifical Mass offered by Cardinal John Heenan of Westminster in Westminster Cathedral.
Catholic Travel Office has announced a special convention tour of 15 days, July II to 25, which features the London convention, and includes visits to Lourdes, France, and Rome, Italy.