“The priest was kidnapped by three masked people in the early afternoon at his Mar Elian Monastery in the town of Qaryatayn, while he was preparing to welcome an expected influx of refugees from Palmyra.” Father Jacques Mourad had “succeeded the Italian Jesuit Priest Paolo Dall`Oglio as the head of the Mar Moussa Monastery, which is linked to Mar Elian, after Dall`Oglio was kidnapped in 2013 from the northern Aleppo province.” Mourad “worked to foster inter-religious dialogue…”
His kidnapping vividly illustrates what a hollow and self-defeating exercise that “dialogue” is, and how mistaken the Church is to place so much hope upon it. Even worse, Fr. Mourad’s brethren in the West actively discourage honest discussion of the reasons why Christians are being persecuted in the Middle East, for fear that such discussion will harm their “dialogue” with Muslims in the West. The blood is on the hands of these comfortable, complacent and deluded bishops, and before too long, because of their willful blindness, the fate of Fr. Mourad and the other persecuted Christians of the Middle East will be their fate also.
“Priest kidnapped in Homs region of Syria: NGO,” AFP, May 22, 2015:
A priest of the Syriac Catholic Church in the western Syrian city of Homs was kidnapped Thursday along with one of his colleagues, the NGO l`Oeuvre d`Orient told AFP Friday.
Father Jacques Mourad was seized with another Christian originating from Aleppo, who was helping the priest.
“The priest was kidnapped by three masked people in the early afternoon at his Mar Elian Monastery in the town of Qaryatayn, while he was preparing to welcome an expected influx of refugees from Palmyra,” said the NGO, referring to the central Syrian city which was recently captured by the Islamic State group….
According to Father Kamil Semaan, of the Syriac Catholic Patriarchy in Beirut, armed men stormed the monastery in the early afternoon. Others present tried to intervene, but the gunmen took Mourad and his colleague in the priest`s car, Semaan told AFP.
Several hours before being taken, Mourad had refused to leave the monastery, despite the threat of the Islamic State group in the region. “As the priest and pastor, I will never leave this place so long as there are people here, unless they hunt me down,” said the priest.
Mourad had been at the monastery for the last 15 years. He succeeded the Italian Jesuit Priest Paolo Dall`Oglio as the head of the Mar Moussa Monastery, which is linked to Mar Elian, after Dall`Oglio was kidnapped in 2013 from the northern Aleppo province.
The NGO said that Mourad worked to foster inter-religious dialogue, and worked with both Christians and Muslims.
el-cid says
If one side says “turn the other cheek” and the other side says “exploit any weakness with violence”, I know how this ends.
AtomicB says
I know how this ends too, but I think we have come to different conclusions..
Joseph says
The NGO said that Mourad worked to foster inter-religious dialogue, and worked with both Christians and Muslims.
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The only dialogue these savages understand is the exchange of gunfire. The sooner the leftist retards understand this the better.
Fr. Basil says
el cid and Joseph, don’t you understand the real causes of mahometan jihadistaism are climate change and poverty?
Joseph says
@ Fr. Basil
Sure I understand. Once Islam is eliminated the “climate”(attitude) of the world will change and the poverty(faith in the wrong god) of many a person will also be gone.
Joseph says
“climate”(attitude) of the world will change
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That should read “climate”(attitude) of the world will STABILIZE.
Brian says
I hope to God that priest is not tortured/brainwashed into converting to evil Islam. Jesus and Mary take care of him and his colleagues.
Cecilia Ellis says
Brian, fear not. In a previously posted comment on a different article, Fr. Basil said this:
– “I’ve made sure my church and family and friends all know that if I am kidnapped by mahometan jihadistas, there are to be NO negotiations for my release, and no ransom paid. They either release me safe and sound, or send me to Jesus.
I pray that, should the latter happen, my three last conscious thoughts are:
3. I forgive them. Do not charge them with this sin.
2. Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
1. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.”
Since reading his post, he remains in my prayers as well as in my ensuring that others know of his peril.
Cecilia Ellis says
Bryan, I just realized that you were speaking of Father Jacques Mourad and not Fr. Basil. Nevertheless, they both are staunch in their love for God and for people. We must not forget them.
Angemon says
Here’s the thing: islam teaches that Christians know that islam is the one true religion.In Christian-majority areas, the “inter-religious” dialogue will be limited to accepting muslims and allowing them to proselytize. In muslim-majority areas, the dialogue will be limited to make sure Christians convert or accept their position as dhimmies. I’m sure that someone somewhere in the Church hierarchy knows this, and whoever it is that decides to overlook it has a lot of blood on their hands.
mortimer says
Fr. Mourad “worked to foster inter-religious dialogue…”
Message to Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester, Massachusetts: “Did you get that bit about ‘dialogue’, Your Excellency?”
mortimer says
Are there any bishops working to liberate Fr Mourad?
We know Bishop McManus won’t lift a finger, even though Fr Mourad has been concerned with ‘dialogue’.
sfd says
Where is the pope ? is he too busy supporting the fake “palstinians” – is he too busy in supporting them and hurting israel – the only country in the entire middle east that christian numbers are rising
does he have time for christians fleeing biet-lehem birth place of jesus who is under the “palstinian control” or to the hundreds of christian who are being killed ??
Colin says
Roman Catholic heirarchs seem happy to think that kowtowing to Muslim heirarcha is dialogue and Muslim heirarchs seem happy with that. Muslim jihadis seem happy to deal severely with ordinary Catholics that don’t or won’t kowtow. Catholic heirarchs seem happy to declare any number of ordinary Catholics as matryrs and forgive and forget. Muslim jihadis seem happy to continue with that arrangement until the supply of ordinary Catholics run out: then they can start on the heirarchs.
Uncle Vladdi says
“Pope”Francis will now apologize to the local Imams, and rail against climate change.
AtomicB says
http://www.thetower.org/2096-pope-francis-not-recognizing-israels-right-to-exist-is-anti-semitic/