Bro. Marco Laspuna

Brother Marco Laspuna, 31, from Botolan, Zambales, and Brother Suresh Barwa, 22, an Indian, both novices of the Missionaries of the Poor, were buried in Kingston, Jamaica, on 12 November 2005. The two had been shot dead in the home of the congregation in Kingston on the night of 27 October while washing dishes with their companions. A bullet killed Brother Suresh instantly and then wounded Brother Marco, who died four hours later.

The funeral Mass was celebrated in Holy Trinity Cathedral. This was followed by a procession through the nearby streets before a private burial in the presence of members of the congregation, Brother Marco's parents, Mauricio and Conrada, and his brother Douglas. Sadly, the family of Brother Suresh were unable to travel from India due to bureaucratic difficulties, though two priests from his parish were there.

Father Richard Ho Lung founded the Missionaries of the Poor in Kingston in 1981. They are a 'monastic order of Brothers dedicated to Joyful Service with Christ on the Cross to serve the poorest of the poor'. They now have more than 180 members, priests and brothers. Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi OP of Caceres invited the community to Naga City in June 1992. In February 2004 the congregation opened a mission in Cebu City under Brother Rodel Tabanao and Brother Augusto Silot Jr, both Filipinos.

Spot where Missionary brothers 

Marco Laspuna and Suresh Barwa 

was shot dead in 2005

Photo credit: http://www.afflictedyard.com/missionariesofthepoor.htm

Brother Marco was associated with the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross in St Raphael Priory, Candelaria, Zambales, for some years and worked as a catechist. He then joined the Missionaries of the Poor and spent two years in Naga before leaving for his novitiate in Jamaica on 29 September 2003, the feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

In a statement prepared for the death of the two brothers, Fr. Ho Lung made the following remarks:

"I grieve from the depths of my soul for these two innocent lambs, Suresh and Marco. I grieve as father for his children, and for all my spiritual sons who are with us in Jamaica saddened by the death of their brothers.

I grieve for the parents and families who so generously send their sons to give up their lives permanently in service of the poor, the homeless, the forgotten ones. I grieve for my island Jamaica , so lost and confused, so hardened and violent and wild with anger.

As a father of my brothers and the poor, and, I dare say, as father of my people in Jamaica , I beg that we pray in this nation for a halt to this violence.

We forgive the murderer. We pray for him. We pray that there is repentance in his heart. We will welcome him. We will help him. We will counsel him. He is still our brother. We don't know if he deliberately killed our Brothers or accidentally killed them. Whatever, we forgive him."

Missionaries of the Poor will continue to take in the homeless and destitute. We will continue to live in the ghettoes. Our young men are youthful and full of heroism. They love Jesus and have been singing a song over and over 'greater love no man has than to lay down his life for his friends'."

At a Mass in Kingston on 30 October Father Ambrose, a senior member of the congregation, said 'The gift that God has given us is greater than any other gift, the gift of martyrdom. It was not any of the high officials, but two young novices that God chose to bestow this gift upon, and I am also happy for that."