Nun who escaped with her life talks about ISIS attack in France

Last updated on: July 27, 2016 at 5:08 pm by CNA Daily News

Nun who escaped with her life talks about ISIS attack in France 2016-07-27T17:08:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Paris, France, Jul 27, 2016 / 11:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Sister Danielle, one of the religious who was held hostage by ISIS at a church in France, was able to escape in a moment of inattention by the terrorists and alert the police.

However, they were not able to arrive in time to save the life of 84-year-old Father Jacques Hamel.

Speaking to RMC Radio, the sister related the incident that led to the death of the first priest at the hands of ISIS in Europe and which left another person severely wounded.

“I didn't think they were going to come after Jacques. It was still dawn. He was standing in front of the altar, they made him get down on his knees and then he started to resist. When we saw the knife in the right hand I said to myself, 'well, something's really going to happen there,'” she said.

Sister Danielle said that even though the other nun and the faithful present were shouting to the terrorists to stop, they went ahead.

“They were shouting 'you Christians are wiping us out.' They were taping themselves on video. They made a kind of sermon around the altar in Arabic. It was horrifying.”

“He was an extraordinary priest,” she recalled, “that's all I can say. Father Jacques is great.”

Fr. Hamel was killed Tuesday after two armed gunmen stormed a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy during Mass. The assailants entered the church and took the celebrating priest and four others hostage. Local law enforcement reported that the priest’s throat was slit in the attack, and that both of the hostage takers were shot dead by police. One of the hostages has been critically wounded.

Pope Francis decried the “absurd violence” in a statement Tuesday, adding that he is praying for those affected by the tragedy.

The French bishops have designated Friday, July 29, as a day of fasting. Msgr. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, secretary general of the French Bishops Conference who's currently in Poland for World Youth Day, discussed the decision July 26.

“What happened in France had happened in other countries before, and actually we see Christians laying down their lives in the interests of their faith,” he told journalists in Krakow.

“They die because they are objects of hate and this for a fact gives us an additional motivation to live the life of fraternity we are called to.”

Europe

Previous Post

July 27, 2016

Francis to Polish leaders: Remember the past, but look to the future

Next Post

July 27, 2016 What Pope Francis told young immigrants in Texas

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: 1 Peter teaches that Christians should submit to every human authority for the Lord's sake.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE