Two men charged for leaving Kansas priest bleeding and unconscious on roadside

'We are praying for them too because that's important...'

Fr. Tom Kearns was hospitalized after two men attacked him outside his parish.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - He was retrieving a pumpkin from his vehicle when the thugs approached him from behind, beat him, then stole his car and left him unconscious, bleeding out onto the street.

He remained on the road for approximately thirty minutes outside the Blessed Sacrament Church in Kansas City, KS, where he serves as a retired priest.

During the struggle, he was hit so hard in the face that he required surgery to repair a shattered eye socket.

The suspects, who are from Kansas City, are currently being held on a $300,000 bond each. It is currently unknown if they have lawyers at this time.

Jerome Gorman, a Wyandotte County District Attorney, claimed the men are going to be charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated battery and burglary.

Fr. Kearns had only just recovered from a fall he took earlier this year but he is reported to be in good spirits.

Fr. Mark Mertes, the pastor of Blessed Sacrament, reported the incident has had a devastating effect on the parish community, where fr. Kearns is both well-known and much beloved.

In a written statement released last Monday, Fr. Mertes reported: "Father Tom is doing reasonably well, considering what he has been through.

"He has a positive outlook and wants to tell his friends in KCK, 'I'll be back.'"

Fr. Mertes also shared the parish community was praying for both Fr. Kearn and his attackers.

"We are praying for them too because that's important, because I believe that they don't want to go through life hitting 82-year-old men and stealing their car. That's not a way we want to live."

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