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Feb 02, 2015 | EDOT Staff

Redeemer Priest Believed Dead

 

Diocese of Texas officials said today that they believe that Israel Ahimbisibwe, his wife Dorcus and their youngest son, Israel Junior (Jay), age 5, to be the family that news media have reported to be found dead at their home in west Houston Monday morning.

 

At this time, police have released no names or details as to the cause of the deaths. Ahimbisibwe, a native of Uganda, served as vicar of Redeemer Episcopal Church in Houston and as chaplain for the University of Houston.

 

Firefighters with the Houston Fire Department were called to the scene when repeated attempts failed to get a response from anyone in the apartment. They discovered the bodies of three people. According to church members, Ahimbisibwe did not show up at church on Sunday and neighbors had not seen the family since Friday.

 

“This is a horrific and awful tragedy,” said Bishop C. Andrew Doyle, Bishop of Texas, “We are in touch with the police and Israel’s family here in Houston. Please keep the Ahimbisibwe and Redeemer families in your prayers,” he said.

 

Ahimbisibwe was ordained in the Church of Uganda and held masters degrees from both Princeton Theological Seminary and Harvard Divinity School. After completing graduate research at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, he earned an additional masters and doctorate from Rice University.