Pope Asks Priests to Be Previous Article
Faith Cant Grow Without Temptation, Pope Tells Rome PriestsNext Article
Breaking News

Prayers Planned For Indian Salesian Kidnapped Last March in Yemen

Article
Line Spacing+- AFont Size+- Print This Article
Prayers Planned For Indian Salesian Kidnapped Last March in Yemen

BANGALORE, India (CNS) — The Salesians have organized a special prayer meeting to mark the one-year anniversary of the kidnapping of Indian Salesian Father Tom Uzhunnalil.

The priest was kidnapped in Aden, Yemen, March 4, 2016, in an attack in which four Missionaries of Charity and at least 12 others were killed.

“We are deeply distressed by the delay in assuring his release,” the Salesians of Bangalore province said in a statement reported on by the Rome-based Salesian news agency, ANS.

Father Uzhunnalil had been living at the home for the elderly and disabled since September 2015, when Holy Family Parish in Aden was sacked and burned.

After the attack, Pope Francis described the Aden murders as an “act of senseless and diabolical violence.”

Bishop Paul Hinder, head of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, told Catholic News Service March 28 that he had “strong indications” that Father Uzhunnalil “is still alive in the hands of his kidnappers.”

The prayer service at Ernakulam Town Hall will be conducted with the collaboration of the Catholic bishops’ conference of the state of Kerala, ANS reported. It said prominent church
leaders, including at least two cardinals, were expected to attend.

Article

Vatican Live Video Feed

Pope Francis on Twitter