【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2019 年 05月 20 日布基纳法索 博博迪烏拉索訊】 ─ 現年60歲的西班牙籍慈幼會傳教士Fernando Hernández神父，於5月17日在博博迪烏拉索的慈幼會會院，遭一名該中心的前廚師殺害。行兇者曾在該中心工作七年，兩個月前遭解僱。Germain Plakoo-Mlapa神父亦同遭襲擊，目前正在康復中。警衛在兇案後立刻把這名前僱員拘捕。
整個慈幼修會，均對這位慈幼會司鐸遇害表達深切的哀痛，並願意慰問他的家人以及他的團體成員。在譴責暴力事件的同時，會士願意在非洲國家繼續服務再受到肯定，尤其在青年的教育及福傳工作上，為他們圓滿的成長作出貢獻。有時，工作環境十分艱苦，甚至遭上敵對勢力。事實上，僅三個月之前，另一位西班牙籍Antonio César Fernández神父，在布基纳法索一次「聖戰」襲擊中遇害。
Fernando Hernández神父於1959年4月8日，出生於西班牙薩拉曼卡省的萊德斯馬，其後於吉普斯誇省的烏爾涅塔，即父親在他幼年時移居的地方，接受職業訓練。之後他回應了慈幼會聖召，修讀神哲學，於1991年在桑坦德晉鐸，隨即前住貝寧傳教。
會士論及他時說：「他是位擁有技藝根底的司鐸，在他受委派工作的地方十分有用，因為職業訓練有助青年學生的發展及促進他們的生活環境。」
在布基纳法索的博博迪烏拉索慈幼會中心，Hernández神父擔任代理及財務工作，負責營運一所中心，為「慈幼職業訓練學校」及市內其他學校的學生服務。他遇害的消息，震驚了整個慈幼家庭，尤其布基纳法索這個慈幼會士自1994年開始服務的地區。
Hernandez神父的殯葬禮，將按照這名慈幼會傳教士的意願，在布基纳法索舉行。殯葬禮定於5月22日星期三上午9時舉行。他的遺體隨即安葬在博博迪烏拉索院舍的庭院，為使福音永遠在這個地方迴響：「一粒麥子如果不落在地裏死了，仍只是一粒；如果死了，纔結出許多子粒來。」
他的一些親友，從西班牙遠赴布基纳法索，與慈幼會成員一同參與殯葬禮。
Holy Mass and burial of Salesian missionary Fr Fernando Hernández, killed in Bobo Diuolasso
(ANS – Burkina Faso–Bobo Dioulasso, 20 May 2019) – 60-year-old Spanish Salesian missionary Fernando Hernández was murdered on Friday 17 May in the Salesian house of Bobo Dioulasso, killed by a former chef from the center. The murderer, who had worked at the center for seven years and was fired two months ago, also knifed Salesian Fr Germain Plakoo-Mlapa in the same attack, the latter currently recovering. Security forces arrested the former employee immediately after the crime.
The Salesian Congregation expresses its deepest sorrow for the tragic death of the Salesian priest and wants to be close to his family and members of his community. And while it condemns all forms of violence, it however reaffirms its desire to continue working in African countries, especially in the area of education and evangelization of young people, to contribute to their full development. Sometimes, this work is done in very difficult and even hostile situations. Just three months ago, in fact, another Spanish Salesian missionary, Fr Antonio César Fernández, was assassinated in Burkina Faso, on that occasion during a jihadist attack.
Fr Fernando Hernández, born April 8, 1959, was originally from Ledesma, province of Salamanca, Spain, but studied vocational training in Urnieta, Gipuzkoa province, where his family had emigrated when he was young. Later, in response to the Salesian vocation, he studied Philosophy and Theology and was ordained a priest in Santander in 1991, and immediately sent to Benin as a missionary.
“He was a priest with a technical background, a very interesting profile for the work he did in the places to which he was assigned, because vocational training is the engine of the development of young students and their environment,” his confreres said of him.
In the Salesian center of Bobo Dioulasso, in Burkina Faso, Fr Hernández was vicar and economer, responsible of a centre for students attending the Salesian Vocational School and other schools in the city. The news of his murder has caused great consternation in the whole Salesian Family, especially in this area of Burkina Faso where the Salesians have been present since 1994.
The funeral and the subsequent burial of Fr Hernandez will take place in Burkina Faso as the Salesian missionary himself wished. The funeral is scheduled for Wednesday, May 22, at 9 am. Subsequently, his mortal remains will be buried in the courtyard of the work of Bobo Dioulasso, to make the words of the Gospel resound forever in that place: “If the grain of wheat that falls on the ground does not die, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
From Spain, some of his relatives will go to Burkina Faso, accompanied by members of the Salesian Congregation, to participate in the funeral.