The bush country in Africa is terrifying, wild and always dangerous. In 2000, the African country of Kenya proved to be more dangerous than nature intended for a Saint Louis University alumnus. Father John Kaiser, a College of Arts and Sciences graduate of SLU, was murdered in Kenya just weeks before he was scheduled to once give a devastating testimony against one of the country’s cabinet members. The disturbing part of the whole sordid affair is that until earlier this month, Fr. Kaiser’s death was deemed a suicide.
Kaiser’s death was actually a murder, at the hands of undetermined assailants, caused by a single shotgun wound to the back of the head. The FBI examined photographs of Kaiser’s death and ruled it an apparent suicide. The Kenyan government at the time quickly agreed with the United States’ evaluation of the situation. Thus began years of what can now be seen as a blatant misrepresentation of a missionary who refused to be silenced.
Fr. Kaiser was determined to expose the Kenyan government as a corrupt organization, counterproductive to the welfare of the Kenyan people. He spoke out against the government and its leaders and eventually paid the ultimate price for his views. It may seem morbid, but this is what a Jesuit university should be about – especially a university like SLU. To be heedless about our own personal gains and to be a truly selfless person are root ideals in the Catholic teachings.
Another important aspect in Fr. Kaiser’s life from which we can glean some meaningful insight for our own lives is the pursuit of our passions. Fr. Kaiser was a passionate man; a man dedicated to the people of a country who desperately need men and women of his kind. Fr. Kaiser was a man that devoted his life to the improvement and social education of the Kenyan people, the majority of whom live below poverty level. He thought nothing of the dangers of speaking out against a violent government, because he believed – rightly so – that he was helping the downtrodden and forgotten of Kenya.
Universities are about becoming agents of change through education in the community and in life. Fr. Kaiser was a great example of how SLU prepares students to become missionaries and agents of change around the world. He graduated from college, and then his life as a passionate agent of change truly began. Despite his unfortunate and premature death, Fr. Kaiser’s life serves as an example of how we at SLU can lead our lives as men and women for others.
