Two Catholic Nuns Found Slain in Mississippi

KFOR ^

[nickcarraway]

Two Catholic nuns were found dead inside their Mississippi home after they didn’t show up to work Thursday, according to police.

Both women had stab wounds, the Durant police chief told WJTV.

The nuns have been identified as Sister Paula Merrill and Sister Margaret Held.

Merrill worked with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky and Held with the School Sisters of St. Francis in Milwaukee.

“These were the two sweetest sisters you could imagine,” Father Greg Plata told the Clarion-Ledger. “It’s so senseless.”

Authorities believe the women may have been victims of a robbery, according to the paper.

The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth released the following statement:

“With great sadness we announce that this afternoon, we were informed that Paula Merrill, SCN, was found dead at her home in Durant, Mississippi. Police found both her and Margaret Held, SSSF, dead this morning after being called by personnel at the medical clinic where they ministered. The two had not come into the clinic this morning.

We have very little information at this time. There is an investigation underway. We have spoken with the parish priest, the chief of police, and the coroner’s office to confirm the deaths of Sisters Paula and Margaret.

As a community we have come together in prayer. SCN President Susan Gatz asks that all, “pray in gratitude for the precious lives of Sisters Paula and Margaret … they served the poor so well. Because we are gospel women, please also pray for the perpetrators.”

Please keep the families and religious communities of Sisters Paula and Margaret in your prayers, as well as those who work at the medical clinic where the Sisters were in ministry and the clinic’s many clients, and those involved in the investigation. Please also keep the community of Durant in prayer as well.

The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth are an international Congregation in a multicultural world. Impelled by the love of Christ, in the tradition of Vincent de Paul and the pioneer spirit of Catherine Spalding, Sisters and Associates are committed to work for justice in solidarity with oppressed peoples, especially the economically poor and women, and to care for the earth. They risk their lives and resources, both personally and corporately, as they engage in diverse ministries in carrying out this mission.”

[Buckeye McFrog]

Sadly my very first thought upon reading the headline was “what did they know about Hillary?”

[Mrs. Don-o]

I understand how you feel --- really --- but you know in your heart that these good sisters would want you to pray for the murderers.

Let us honor the sisters, put our turbulent feelings aside for just a moment, and pray as we have been taught by Our Lord Himself.

[Mrs. Don-o]

For you, my dear Graybeard:

#22

[wardaddy]

It tickles yet saddens me that so many freepers are so clueless about the black race ....even in Texas.....that they must qualify generalizations about black crime with the customary refrain that some tiny subgroup of whites must be just as bad as black violent criminals who btw as only 12 percent of the country account for a majority of the violent crime

Holmes county is 85 percent black.....is there a chance that maybe some crazed white meth or oxy head did this?.....yeah.....but it ain’t likely odds wise

And Holmes county Mississippi ain’t Appalachia or Texas.....the few whites there are better behaved....they are way outnumbered and they know it....it’s like the Transvaal just hotter

This crime has shocked the community ....blacks killing each other over stupid things is common....this is not

It reminds me of the east Harlem case 40 years ago where the same ilk turned themselves in when they found the Five Families were looking for them...

[wardaddy]

One caveat

Both nuns were nurse practitioners

Which makes me wonder ....whites would be more suspect in a narcotics robbery because in Mississippi accredited nurse practitioners with a DEA number can prescribe....and them running a free clinic they would be more likely to dole out meds than write scripts

But still the local demographics...

[cherry]

I doubt they would keep any drugs except samples of antibiotics at their clinic...

[wardaddy]

My post was in response to be lectured offhandedly because I figured black perps in a black county.....85%

So I pondered reasons it could being white killers just to be sweet and non racist

They were nurse practitioners working mostly by themselves at a free clinic and in the state of Mississippi APNs with a DEA number can prescribe narcotics

And given that they ran a free clinic where often the staff supplies the meds as well....after all it’s a charity clinic ....then at least in my view they might very well have all manner of meds on hand

I know MDs sure do....I’ve got several in my extended family....and I used to get Darvon from my uncle for sports injuries

The killers came to their house for a reason

Stinkpot could be right and I’ll have to eat crow

This is a major disturbing crime in that tiny hamlet I can promise that

Folks will talk about it still in 50 years like the Mona Biddy case in 1970 or so in Jackson an hour south where I’m from

[Travis McGee]

Who would play the part of the five families in Holmes Country?

I don’t think NB Forrest is around no mo.

[Slip18]

Don’t you dare tell me what I feel in my heart. Don’t you dare tell me what I should feel. Keep it to yourself.

[Mrs. Don-o]

It's you who manifested how you felt. I am not wrong to have noticed that; nor am I wrong to say I understand. I do have fellow-feelings. I say this with every peaceable intent.

As for "keep it to yourself" --- hey, this is Free Repulic. It's a discussion forum. We don't come here to keep things to ourselves!..... as long as we keep it civil.

The sisters have asked us to pray for the perpetrators. We could honor the slain nuns and their Lord by doing just that.

[Slip18]

I kept it civil.

I never”heard” the Sisters to ask us to pray for their perps. Did you?

[Mrs. Don-o]

It was in the article. The sisters asked for prayers for the perpetrators:

"SCN [Sisters of Charity of Nazareth] President St. Susan Gatz asks that all 'pray in gratitude for the precious lives of Sisters Paula and Margaret … they served the poor so well. Because we are gospel women, please also pray for the perpetrators.'"

[Slip18]

It did not say what was in the good Sisters’ minds before they were murdered. That is all I am saying. They are married to Our Lord, but they are human, too.

Now, God bless you. Just do not speak about what I am thinking. Okay? I do have a brain that the Good Lord gave me.

I am calling a truce on my part. If you wish to keep it up, I will not respond.

[WKB]

The suspects are probably not smart enough to know
the nurses would not have drugs in the house.

[wardaddy]

Precious few peckerwoods left there

Is Blackhawk in Holmes?

[WKB]

I am 99.99% sure it is. Haven’t been that way in some time,