As we reported last week, a Brazilian priest has gone missing after attempting to raise money by breaking a world record for the longest amount of time suspended in the air by party balloons. The money was to be used to build a truck stop rest area / church. Father Adelir Antonio de Carli, missing since April 20, is now feared dead. After 135 hours the Brazilian Navy called off the search, although private fishermen are continuing to look for the missing reverend.

From the Associated Press:

Brazil navy ends search for missing balloonist priest

By STAN LEHMAN – 3 days ago

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) — Brazil’s navy has dropped its search for a priest who vanished more than a week ago while floating over the Atlantic with a cluster of party balloons, a spokeswoman said Monday.

The Rev. Adelir Antonio de Carli has been missing since April 20, shortly after he lifted off from the southern port city of Paranagua strapped to 1,000 helium-filled balloons.

Navy spokeswoman Lt. Catia Sandri said the hunt, conducted with one helicopter and two boats, was called off over the weekend because no sign of the priest was found after 135 hours of searching.

She said several private fishing boats were still looking for the Roman Catholic priest, but said chances of finding de Carli alive in the ocean are “very remote.”

The air force ended its four-day search for the priest on Thursday after its planes covered more than 1,900 square miles of land and sea.

Fire department rescue teams continued looking for the 41-year-old priest in densely forested coastal mountains, said Deputy Fire Commander Paulo Eduardo Neves.

The priest had been trying to raise money to build a rest stop and worship center for truckers.

Even though our blogging staff consists mainly of pseudo-religious non-denominational Christians, pagans and Jews, we are sending our prayers anyway. That’s the kind of priest we want in this world - the fearless, adventurous and dirigible kind.

In an attempt to break a world record for most hours flying using party balloons, a Brazilian Roman catholic Priest, suspended by 1,000 helium balloons, is now missing. His aim was to raise money to build a rest-stop church for truckers.

Even on my best day I couldn’t make this shit up.

Wacky news story of the day or sign of the impending apocalypse? Either way, this is why I listen to the BBC in the morning:

“Father Adelir de Carli lifted off from the port city of Paranagua on Sunday, equipped with a parachute, thermal suit, satellite phone and a GPS device.

A sea and air rescue operation is under way after he lost contact with port authority officials late on Sunday.

He wanted to break a 19-hour record for the most hours flying with balloons.

Father Carli was hoping to raise money to fund a rest stop for lorry drivers in Paranagua, one of Brazil’s major ports for agricultural products.”

Yeah, I don’t think I have anything else to add. Complete lyrics to Jimmy Webb’s “Up, Up and Away” and a full wikipedia synopsis of The Flying Nun after the jump. (more…)