Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 10:59am

Father Edward Hinds Found Slain In Rectory

Father Edward “Ed” Hinds, the pastor of Saint Patrick Church in Chatham, New Jersey, was found slain early Friday Fr. Edward Hinesmorning by parishioners in the rectory when he failed to celebrate the 8:00am Mass.

This morning there was a congregation of roughly 300 parishioners that attended the 8:00 am Mass the day after the slaying.  It was a somber and quiet mood as the parish remembered their dear priest who was the only pastor at the church and he also worked at the parish school.

“He was a gentle, compassionate priest,” said Theresa Kenworthy, who comes from Madison with her husband, Charlie, to regularly attend the Saturday morning Mass. “He welcomed everyone.”

“There’s sadness, but there’s joy too. He didn’t want us to be sad. He was always a joyful person,” said Charlie Kenworthy, adding that Hinds faith and generous nature would have overcome the trauma he went through. “I’m sure he forgave the person who did this.”

This afternoon police have charged a suspect by the name of Jose Feliciano, the church janitor.  So far what I have heard is that there was an argument between the janitor and Father Hines while he was preparing coffee.  The argument ended with Father Hinds slain after 32 stab wounds.

May Christ support us all the day long, till the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then in his mercy may he give us a safe lodging, and holy rest and peace at the last.

Amen.

_._

To read the latest updates from the Associated Press click here.

To read more on this story by Jim Lockwood of the Star-Ledger (New Jersey) click here.

_._

Update I: I misspelled Father Edward Hinds name.  It is Fr. Hinds, not Fr. Hines.

Update II:  For funeral and more information concerning Fr. Hinds click here.

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Donald R. McClarey
Admin
Saturday, October 24, AD 2009 6:33pm

May he now be enjoying the Beatific Vision.

Al
Al
Saturday, October 24, AD 2009 11:33pm

When I heard this I was saddenned. Still puzzled as to why.

Tito Edwards
Sunday, October 25, AD 2009 12:45am

I’m puzzled as well, but I’m sure the details will come out.

For whatever reason, the grisly death of Fr. Hines, even though I don’t know him, bothers me greatly.

Coffee Catholic
Sunday, October 25, AD 2009 3:33am

Why? I’ll tell you why: because our society is hosed, that’s why! How many generations of children have been raised in Liberal relativism? How many millions of children have grown into adults that have no sense of “right” and “wrong”, let alone enough self-control to *not* throw a hissy fit whenever they don’t get their way??

Sadly these hissy fits can end with the blade of a knife!

I’m not one bit surprised that some dude hacked Father to death over an argument. Just look at how people behave at checkout counters and while driving!! We live in a society filled with adult spoiled brats! We can’t even have a grownup liturgy at Mass ~ what makes us think we can have grownup responses to “No” ???

Don the Kiwi
Sunday, October 25, AD 2009 3:49am

Whatever the circumstances, this is very sad; perhaps a commentary on our society.
In any event, may our God have mercy on Fr. Hinds and grant him the fulness of His salvation, acornding to the promises of Christ.

bill bannon
bill bannon
Sunday, October 25, AD 2009 6:35am

I think of the murderer’s children in these sins. Murder by career criminals is not as depressing as murder by a family man (two young children)who held one job at the parish for 17 years straight where his daughter still attends elementary school. The priest was there 6 years. This could have been a complex rather than simple temptation from the devil involving a slowly growing sinful temper over differences between the two men. And a wife and two children now have a family disgraced for the rest of their lives even though they are innocent. And they have sudden economic trouble combined with the responsibility of visiting the father in jail forever. The children will question their own goodness for years to come; they will suspect their own tempers as murderous even in normal moments. Very awful. Satan is a billiard player who is never just sinking one ball at a time.

American Knight
American Knight
Sunday, October 25, AD 2009 10:48am

This is diabolical – meaning to divide.

When we allow Satan to attack unity everyone is a victim – the murderer, the victim, the family, the parish, all of us.

We need to reclaim the moral high ground. The only question is are we prepared for the carnage that always results when taking a hill, or are we more comfortable in lazy tyranny?

The Pope has been warning us of the dictatorship of relativism and many of us are not listening.

May God have mercy on all who are touched by this, especially Fr. Hines, the janitor who murdered him and the murderer’s family.

This story just sucks.

dymphna
dymphna
Sunday, October 25, AD 2009 11:55am

How sad. I suppose a lot will come out about the janitor in the next few days.

Disgusted
Disgusted
Monday, October 26, AD 2009 5:18pm

Coffee Catholic,

Your post is deeply disturbing. You know nothing of either of these men or what happened to make the janitor snap and perform the vicious, horrendous act that has ruined so many lives.

This “dude” is a father, a husband, and -was- a respected and loved member of the church, the school and the community for over 17 years. Tragedy is not reconciled by blame or a biting, uninformed analysis. This murder is something everyone is painfully trying to make sense of. Both of these men were loved.

All human beings can not be lumped into one compact ball that is then cut down the middle, dividing good and evil into two neat sections. God has nothing to do with this.

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Tuesday, October 27, AD 2009 12:27am

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Saturday, October 31, AD 2009 5:39am

[…] the previous two American Catholic articles on Father Edward Hinds click here and here. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Father Boniface Hardin and Martin UniversityThe […]

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