NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Seneca, Kansas, April 5, 2025: The small, close-knit town of Seneca is reeling after Rev. Raj Arul Balaswamy Carasala, a beloved 57-year-old Catholic priest, was fatally shot Thursday afternoon inside the rectory of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church.
The shooting occurred around 3 p.m., while fourth-grade students were playing outside during recess and reportedly heard the gunshots, according to the New York Post. The incident sent shockwaves through the parish and local community.
The suspected shooter, 66-year-old Gary Hermesch of Tulsa, Oklahoma, turned himself in shortly afterward to the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office. He has been charged with first-degree murder and is currently being held on a $1 million bond. While a motive has not been officially disclosed, local reports indicate that Hermesch had previously written letters critical of the Catholic Church to a local newspaper, hinting at extremist views.
Rev. Carasala, originally from India, was ordained in 1994 and had been pastor of Saints Peter and Paul since 2011. He became a U.S. citizen that same year. Parishioners and friends remember him as a gentle, generous man of deep faith and dedication.
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas mourned the loss, calling it a “senseless act of violence” and describing Carasala as a zealous and faithful pastor who served the community with great devotion. He also asked for prayers for both the grieving community and for the alleged perpetrator.
The tragedy unfolded just steps from the school on church grounds, leaving parents and educators struggling to explain the event to children who were nearby.
Authorities have emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public. The investigation is still underway.
Prayer services and vigils have been organized in Seneca to honor Rev. Carasala’s memory and to offer comfort to his parishioners. As the community mourns, many remember him as more than just a priest — but as a friend, spiritual guide, and pillar of strength for over a decade.
