If only he had a gun... the mysterious death of Fr. Kunz

In the Diocese of Madison.

I remember when this happened.  It is still very scary...

The Village of Dane, a quiet hamlet some 10 miles north of Madison, Wisconsin, welcomed March 1998 with eager anticipation. Winters in southern Wisconsin could be harsh and the hope of an early spring among area residents was almost universal. Yet, March 3rd, 1998 with its blustery winds and occasional snowflakes gave no hint of winter’s demise.

For Father Alfred Kunz, pastor of St. Michael’s Parish in the Village, the weather was of little concern as he went about his priestly duties, retiring to his room by early evening to prepare for the taping of “Our Catholic Family,” a religious talk show program based in Monroe, some 70 miles South of Dane. Leaving the rectory at 7:30P.M in the company of Lodi Priest Fr. Charles Fiore, the taping was completed by 9:00 P.M, and the two priests left Monroe shortly thereafter, arriving at St. Michaels a little before 10:00 PM.
Neither man had had time for dinner that night, and as Fr. Kunz walked away from the car, Fiore reminded him to “Get a piece of cheese or something, Al.” Kunz smiled and nodded his head, then turned away. What happened between that moment and 7:00 A.M. the next morning has remained a mystery for over eleven years.
[...]
With the appointment of Bishop William Bullock on April 13, 1993, disagreements between the new Bishop over the interpretation of Church law became commonplace, and within the year, Kunz had resigned as Judicial Vicar and was no longer a member of the Marriage Tribunal. Yet, despite his considerable differences with the head of the Madison Diocese, Kunz remained at St. Michaels Catholic Church, due, in large part to his status as a beloved priest within the Dane community.

Kunz had reportedly taken on the task of investigating several local priests and planned to report his findings to the Hierarchy on March 7, 1998. Sadly, that day would never arrive.

At 7:00 A.M. on the morning of March 4, 1998, a teacher arriving at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Dane found the body of Fr. Alfred Kunz laying in the hallway of the school near the door to his living quarter. Fr. Kunz had been stabbed and his throat had been cut with an edged weapon, which had severed the carotid artery, and he had died of blood loss. All of the doors to the school were locked, and there were no signs of forced entry. No weapon was found. - Source
 

 

 

I wonder how many priests in Wisconsin have guns now days?  Going forward I'll post about a priest who collected guns and used one of them to silence his liberal accusers.  The priest had a gun on him even as he celebrated Mass...