This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Two men shot dead after killing priest in church at Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray and ‘filming themselves preaching in Arabic’ The murder of a priest and the wounding of one of his parishioners in Normandy was an act of terrorism carried out by two followers of Islamic State A witness to the attack has described how the two men forced the 86-year-old priest slit his throat and filmed themselves appearing to preach in Arabic at the altar was among five hostages who were taken when the men armed with knives reportedly entered the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray at 9.43am local time on Tuesday during morning prayers They forced him to his knees and obviously he wanted to defend himself and that’s when the drama began,” Sister Danielle said adding that she had fled the church while the terrorists cut Hamel’s throat but the other victim was described as being seriously injured and between “life and death” Sister Danielle said the two men filmed their attack “They didn’t see me leave,” she told the French channel BFMTV They were filming themselves preaching in Arabic in front of the altar The two hostage-takers were shot dead by police as they came out of the church One person has been detained in the investigation into the attack Normandy church attack: nun who was taken hostage speaks out about death of priest GuardianHollande described the incident as “an ignoble terrorist attack” by two supporters of Isis which claimed responsibility for the attack via its affiliated Amaq news agency adding that it was a war France would have to fight by remaining united Pierre Henry Brandet, an interior ministry spokesman, said the church was rapidly surrounded by the BRI, France’s anti-gang brigade, who shot the attackers as they came out. Hollande met members of the brigade, who wore black balaclavas to mask their identities, and praised them for the speed of their intervention, which he said “prevented a much higher toll and saved the lives of hostages”. Hollande added: “I have met with the family of the priest and I have spoken to the people kept hostage who expressed their pain and sadness as well as a wish to comprehend what has happened.” A witness whose home overlooks the church told BFMTV: “There were more and more police … then a crescendo of gunfire. Of course, given what is happening in the world, we thought of a [terrorist] attack. It was hard to believe what was happening.” The prime minister, Manuel Valls, said the “barbaric” attack was a blow to the Catholic community and the whole of France. Horreur face à l'attaque barbare d'une église de Seine-Maritime. La France entière et tous les catholiques sont meurtris. Nous ferons bloc. The murdered priest had worked in the parish for more than 10 years. He should have retired at 75 but wanted to continue serving the church and community, local residents said. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said Pope Francis “shares the pain and horror of this absurd violence”, adding that the attack created “immense pain and worry”. Read moreFrancis issued “the most severe condemnation of all forms of hatred” and said he was appalled “because this horrific violence took place in a church a sacred place” and involved the “barbaric” killing of a priest A woman who worshipped at the church described Hamel as “a man who fulfilled his role to the end He was elderly but was always available for whoever She added: “He has been here for a long time and many parishioners knew him well He lived in the rectory at Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray.” said everyone was horribly shocked that the priest had been killed while celebrating mass “We ask ourselves how we have arrived at this point,” he told BFMTV “My message would be we have to continue to meet Perhaps the death of this poor man will produce an electroshock will be such a strong symbol that people will say we have to do something French soldiers prevent access to the scene of the attack in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray it was the cutting of the throat of a priest … an act sufficiently thought out to further destabilise French society … and that’s the risk France remains on high alert nearly two weeks after a man ploughed a truck into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice killing 84 people and injuring more than 300 The Nice attack was the third major attack on France in 18 months and was claimed by Isis Two attacks in Germany claimed by Isis since then have heightened the tension in Europe Hollande told reporters near the scene of Tuesday’s killings: “The people of France should know that they are under threat but they are not the only country and that their strength lies in their solidarity.” Analysts said that while the threat was everywhere the attack marked a new stage in Isis action demonstrating that even in a small town of 27,000 inhabitants and we are at war everywhere on French soil,” was the message one terrorism expert told French television After the attack in Nice, France extended a state of emergency for another six months. The measure gives police extra powers to carry out searches and place people under house arrest. It was the fourth time the security measures have been extended since Isis followers staged a mass attack on Paris in November, killing 130 people in the Bataclan concert hall You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed A French police officer stands guard by Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray's city hall after a priest was killed and hostages taken at a church in the small town on Tuesday Police say they killed two hostage-takers in the attack in the Normandy town taking several hostages and killing a priest in his mid-80s before the attackers were shot to death by police claimed responsibility for the attack in the small town of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray The men were armed with knives and took five hostages — Father Jacques Hamel, two nuns and two parishioners, The Guardian reports The attackers killed Hamel by slitting his throat and they seriously injured another hostage Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet earlier said the wounded person was "between life and death," but the victim's condition stabilized later Tuesday The three other hostages were rescued by police "It was the first known attack inside a French church in recent times," the wire service writes: "Islamic State extremists have urged followers to attack French churches and the group is believed to have planned at least one church attack earlier "[Tuesday's] attack once again demonstrates the challenge of combating the threat French authorities increased security at churches mosques and other places of worship after attacks in Paris last year blanket security is difficult in a country with a church in every town and village." French soldiers stand guard near the scene of an attack in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray One of the men was known to police and his movements had been monitored for some time Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said that 19-year-old Adel Kermiche had twice tried to use his relatives' ID cards to travel to Syria and join extremists told the AP that Kermiche's family alerted authorities so they could stop him from traveling to join jihadists Kermiche was eventually required to wear an electronic surveillance bracelet and check in with police daily He was still wearing the bracelet at the time of the attack Molins said the bracelet "was deactivated for a few hours every morning corresponding with the time of the attack," the AP writes An anonymous source told the wire service there were five hours a day when Kermiche was allowed to leave home without surveillance Pope Francis and the Archbishop of Rouen have condemned and mourned the attack The Vatican called the killing of Hamel "barbaric." And I invite all non-believers to unite with this cry," Archbishop Dominique Lebrun wrote "The Catholic Church has no other arms besides prayer and fraternity between men." French President Francois Hollande called the killing and hostage-taking a "vile terrorist attack" and reiterated France's commitment to battling the Islamic State "We are put to the test yet again," Hollande said ISIS also claimed responsibility for the truck attack in Nice on July 14 as well as the Charlie Hebdo and November attacks in Paris last year Become an NPR sponsor The court trial to prosecute the perpetrator of the attack was held in February and March 2022 before the Court of Assize of Paris The court convicted four men accused of terrorist conspiracy following Father Hamel's murder Roseline Hamel arrived with six other family members at her brother's rectory for a visit "He was waiting for us with bated breath and we arrived a little late," she recalled during her hearing before the assize court on February 17 That evening they took a final meal all together "He set his place at the table and told us: 'I am so happy to have you at my table!'" Father Jacques Hamel got up before them to celebrate The assembly was slightly more sparse than normal owing no doubt to summer travels of parishioners "As usual, we thought we would have coffee with him when he returned from Mass," Roseline Hamel confided, with a sob in her voice. "He had prepared breakfast, the bowls were on the table, the bread was out …" Less than an hour later, Father Jacques Hamel was murdered in his church While the murder of Father Hamel shook the whole of France and had repercussions throughout the world it is indeed a form of peace and simplicity that inhabits his rectory Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Adel Kermiche has been named as one of the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) extremists who murdered a priest in a church in Normandy forced elderly Father Jacques Hamel to his knees and then slit his throat during morning prayers Here is everything we know about the 19-year-old Kermiche was arrested twice in 2015 for trying to get to Syria Kermiche began making contact with radicals on the internet in January 2015 and came to authorities' attention when he tried to help a teenager from Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray join ISIS He was stopped by German police in Munich in March 2015 and accused of trying to travel to Syria using his brother's identity where he was given conditional parole awaiting trial He was sent back to Geneva and charged with "criminal association in connection with terrorism." He was then returned to France and held in custody for ten months Kermiche was wearing an electronic tag when he killed the priest he was released in March this year on the condition that he live in his family home and wear an electronic tag that allowed authorities to monitor his movement When the church attack took place, his electronic tag was deactivated and he was not under surveillance, according to an unnamed police official. The officer, who has spoken to media sources on the condition of anonymity said Kermiche had been required to check in with police every day Kermiche and his accomplice were armed with fake weapons French authorities said the two men had fake explosives and used nuns within the church as humans shields before police shot them dead One had three knives and a fake explosives belt while the other carried a kitchen timer wrapped in aluminium foil and had fake explosives in his backpack Kermiche grew up in an estate in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray—the town where the priest was killed Family friend Jonathan Sacarabany said Kermiche was born in Algeria but grew up in a housing project in France Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray is the area where notorious jihadist Maxime Hauchard Hauchard is the Frenchman identified by authorities as a jihadi involved in the killings of 18 Syrian captives and American aid worker Peter Kassig Those who knew Kermiche said he was a radicalized "ticking time bomb" Kermiche had been a normal, sports-mad fan of The Simpsons and Rihanna, according to reports But he became radical after the ISIS-inspired slaughter at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris in January 2015 "Everyone knows that this kid was a ticking time bomb," a resident of the area identified as Foued Another neighbour told Le Figaro that Kermiche showed visible signs of mental disturbance he was talking to himself," the source said Those close to Kermiche tried "everything in their power" to help him His mother told a Swiss newspaper in May 2015 that his transformation into a radical happened rapidly he was a "happy kid who liked music and going out with girls," but he quickly became a recluse His family and his brothers and sisters tried to reason with him and keep an eye on him Security sources said his Facebook posts showed how he changed as he made little effort to hide his new sympathies According to a neighbor quoted in Le Parisien his family was "not even religious." "They really did everything in their power A man given the pseudonym Christian by Le Parisien said he too tried to help Kermiche after he was freed from prison in March this year though it was true that Kermiche "only spoke about religion." me—we did everything to try and get him out I told him to stop and that if he needed anyone to confide in outside of his family you are right.' But it was like he was inside a bubble." Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all PARIS (OSV News) — Spending most of her life in Armentières a northern small French town bordering Belgium would never have expected it to take such a dramatic turn when her brother was murdered while celebrating Mass at his little church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in France’s Normandy region on July 26 She found consolation in something hard to achieve in grief — forgiveness and friendship with the assassin’s mother Now they set out on a journey to write a book together She often came to visit and stayed with Father Hamel she had arrived at the clergy house with her family She wanted to help him tidy up and pack his suitcase She fondly remembers the last dinner they all had with her brother “Just as we were about to start eating my brother put down his fork to speak to us ‘I would like to tell you that I am infinitely happy to see you all here He was not used to sharing his feelings like that I made the connection between that dinner and Christ’s last supper with his disciples,” she told OSV News Hamel recounted the “bubble of pain” in which she locked herself for months after the attack and it did not happen overnight,” she told OSV News she was finally convinced that God was at her side in her suffering “I wondered who could suffer more than I did,” she said “And then I thought of the murderers the mother of one of the two jihadist attackers She made the first visit along with Archbishop Dominique Lebrun of Rouen the archbishop prayed a Hail Mary with her “Kermiche immediately asked for my forgiveness,” Hamel told OSV News “I replied that I had come to suggest that we try to manage our pain together also seriously injured one of the worshippers they took hostage and were shot dead by the police as they tried to leave the church Hamel recalled that upon the first meeting with Adel’s mother “she told us about the painful years she had lived through with her son since he was a teenager and her growing concern at seeing him change personality under the influence of jihadist networks,” she said We deeply understood what she was saying.” Hamel later continued to visit Kermiche regularly “Her family looks a lot like mine,” the late priest’s sister told OSV News “They are Muslims and we are Christians but their values and way of life are very close to ours she returned to work as a biology teacher in a local school whom she described as “a sensitive boy who wanted to do humanitarian work.” But at a certain point he had come into online contact with people who claimed to be devout Muslims “They had perceived his sensitivity and vulnerability,” Hamel told OSV News “He started telling his parents that their way of praying was not right his mother went to the police several times to ask for help Her son made two attempts to leave for Syria and was sentenced to prison for a year she and her husband took steps to get him out of prison He had been brainwashed,” Hamel recalled from a conversation with the Muslim woman You can imagine his mother’s pain!” she told OSV News “She held on thanks to her colleagues,” she said She was afraid of being questioned by the students During the 2022 trial against four alleged accomplices in the heinous assassination of Father Hamel to the point of moving the audience of the juridical process “I was not there to judge and condemn,” she explained “I was there to listen to the young people who were linked in the attack and try to understand how such tragedies can happen.” Hamel and Kermiche’s friendship has gone from emotion to action they were both at the Marian shrine of Lourdes for the ceremony of the Jacques Hamel Prize awarded annually since 2018 to reward journalistic work on peace efforts and interreligious dialogue Pope Francis sent a message to the award ceremony describing Father Hamel as “An elderly priest and peaceful in the face of wild and blind violence unleashed supposedly in the name of God.” The new goal for Hamel is to now finish the book with her unexpected friend “The idea was born on All Saints’ Day in 2019,” Hamel told OSV News “Kermiche came to pick me up to take me to pray at her son’s grave ‘You should write a book together,’ she told us the idea never left us,” Hamel said of a project she is now working on Hamel already wrote a book on her beloved brother titled in which she recounted the life of the priest whose beatification process is underway in Rome Pope Francis authorized the church in France to open the beatification process including a copy of a recently found homily her brother had written for the Easter season my brother continued to write all his homilies by hand on scrap paper,” she told French Catholic media outlet Aleteia after meeting the Holy Father adding that a full trunk of writings was sent to Rome for her brother’s beatification proceedings she is focused on a new goal with her Muslim friend and we want to express our mutual friendship and compassion,” she told OSV News of her book project with Kermiche “In addition to the pain of losing her son Kermiche is carrying a heavy burden of guilt,” Hamel concluded “I try to help her as she tries to help me I am thinking of entitling the book ‘my sister in pain.'” Caroline de Sury writes for OSV News from Paris HamelHO / http://ser-ta-paroisse.over-blog.org/ / AFP Author and director of made-for-TV movies Armand Isnard tells Aleteia about his new book: the first biography of Father Jacques Hamel while celebrating Mass in the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray Father Jacques Hamel has gradually become a symbol Now that the process for his beatification is open (the first hearing was held on May 20 Armand Isnard has published the first biography of this priest Aleteia spoke with him to learn more about his experience of writing this work Aleteia:  What prompted you to write this book Armand Isnard: After the assassination of Father Hamel in July 2016 much was said and written in the media about this attack But I realized that no one had mentioned the man; no one knew Father Jacques Hamel With this book I — modestly — wanted to introduce people to this priest his military service in Algeria—but also his sacred character—are all elements that help us understand the meaning of his martyrdom I felt like I was with him.” That’s the most beautiful thing someone can tell me that was one of the difficulties of my book Father Hamel had a very simple and clear life like that of many parish priests from a few years back While his sister explained to me that he had become particularly open over the last 10 years — Jacques Hamel was not a shy man — he gave witness above all to a great humility Putting aside the drama of his assassination Father Hamel is an example of simplicity and depth the more intense his dialogue with God became And yet he was a man of this world who listened to others In writing this book I also discovered the character of Father Hamel: he was easily angered but everyone forgave him because he was able to revise his position on things Jacques Hamel is an even stronger example in these times and non-believers … But he remained the same We all put on a show at some point in our lives Francis of Assisi: holiness is our vocation It is not a question of accomplishing wonders but of loving in the concrete circumstances of our lives I often think of Father Hamel because my daily life gives me the opportunity He followed a spiritual path of humility and simplicity Father Hamel said: “There are many saints that we celebrate on this 1st of November They are celebrated in the liturgical calendar They believed and loved in the heart of their lives Holiness is also our vocation.” Father Hamel was alive with love and died as a martyr PARIS (AP)—French President Emmanuel Macron delivered an impassioned speech Wednesday after a Mass marking one year since the killing of a local French priest by two 19-year-old Islamic extremists who pledged loyalty to the Islamic State group Calling him a "martyr," Macron addressed crowds outside the small Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray church in Normandy where the throat of Father Jacques Hamel was slit as he celebrated morning Mass on July 26 "Hamel's smile has become a reminder of resistance in the face of bigotry," Macron said at the podium "By murdering Father Hamel at the foot of his altar the two terrorists undoubtedly wanted to sow the thirst for vengeance and retaliation among French Catholics," Macron said Rouen Archbishop Dominique Lebrun led the emotionally-charged service in the overcrowded church spoke of the horror that the two jihadis brought to the sleepy Normandy town the population of Saint-Etienne was thrown into the whirl of emotions," said the mayor from outside the church "The initial disbelief was followed by fear then mixed with incomprehension local dignitaries unveiled a 2-meter metal memorial tribute to the slain priest with writings from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights "This memorial is a symbol of peace and brotherhood," Moise said The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important America’s voice is in the conversation about the church and the world. We can't do it without you—America Media relies on generous support from our readers. Please visit our membership page to learn how you can invest in our work by subscribing to the magazine or making a donation If you’re already a subscriber or donor, thank you! If you login and register your print subscription number with your account, you’ll have unlimited access to the website. Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions.  My NewsSign Out Sign InCreate your free profileSections news Alerts French police officers stand guard in front of the Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray's city hall after an attack on a church that left a priest dead Two attackers armed with knives invaded a church Tuesday during morning Mass near the Normandy city of Rouen, killing an 84-year-old priest by slitting his throat and taking hostages before being shot and killed by police, French officials said. French police officers and fire engine arrive at the scene of a hostage-taking at the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray. The siege ended when the hostage-takers were "neutralized" at the church in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, police said. Another hostage was critically injured. A policeman reacts as he secures a position in front of the city hall.  The victim was named by Archbishop of Rouen Dominique Lebrun as Rev. Jacques Hamel, 86. French soldiers and a police officer stand guard as they prevent the access to the scene of an attack in Saint Etienne du Rouvray. A French police officer stands guard by Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray's city hall. A policeman holds a HKG36 assault rifle as he secures the position in front of the city hall. French President Francois Hollande, left, holds and speaks with Hubert Wulfranc mayor of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray as he arrives in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray. Hollande blamed the "cowardly acts" on ISIS-linked terrorists. A French soldiers stands guard as he prevents the access to the scene of an attack. Members of French special police forces of Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI) are at the scene during a raid after a hostage-taking in the church. A French policeman arrests a man following a search in a house after the church terror attack. Across the sidewalk from the church in St.-Étienne-du-Rouvray Jacques Hamel’s martyrdom is striking because the town is so ordinary and peaceful It is hard to believe that such a brutal attack could take place here I visited just two months after his death on July 26 I bought flowers from a florist just around the corner to lay a bouquet at the church entrance I added my flowers to a small memorial there told me that Father Hamel had taught her catechism 30 years ago when she was a child I asked the florist what kind of bouquet she would recommend especially red ones—the color of the martyrs was beginning to have recurring nightmares He would leave the little church that he served in St.-Étienne-du-Rouvray and make his way through the town toward his house a group of strangers would ambush him and begin to beat him The 85-year-old Father Hamel confided this nightmare to his sister months before his murder who did not attach much importance to it at the time told her brother Jacques: “I’m the one who has the nightmares Father Hamel often told his sister of his admiration for the Rev the great martyr in the desert at Tamanrasset Father de Foucauld lived among the Tuareg people and was also known for his charity attended a screening of the film “Of Gods and Men,” a story about the monks at Tibhirine who suffered a similar fate at the hands of Islamist fanatics in 1996 “that these men could act with such vicious violence against these men who had lived in their community doing nothing but serving the poor feeding the hungry and caring for the sick Is it because the devil had entered into their hearts and minds and they became numb to all charity and compassion?” in the town of Darnétal in Normandy in the northern region of France His parents divorced when he was still a child and he and his siblings grew up with their mother in great poverty He exhibited extraordinary piety at a young age He would assist at funerals at his local parish whenever possible He was a member of the choir early on and loved chant His mother found him once in a shed out in their garden pretending to celebrate Mass using makeshift altar The young Hamel felt drawn to be a missionary with the Missionaries of Africa known as the White Fathers because of their robes He instead became a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Rouen and served his congregations faithfully for several decades Father Hamel was known for his good memory his discretion and his compassion for others he would seek to heal their wounds without being judgmental she never heard him complain about anything He enjoyed a deep interior peace in which others found refuge The morning of the martyrdom was like any other recited the prayer invoking the protection of St read from his breviary and went to the bakery to buy bread for his breakfast and walked about a quarter of a mile to the church where he was due to celebrate the 9 o’clock Mass there was a small but committed congregation—three Vincentian sisters a married couple of 64 years and another layperson It was during the Prayers of Petition that two Islamic State-inspired perpetrators barged in knocked Father Hamel down and slit his throat As Adel Kermiche and Abdel Malik Petitjean lunged at him with a knife The priest saw in this heinous attack not the work of merely confused youth or fanatic religious ideology but that of the Father of Lies what else could instill the hearts and minds of young men with such hatred as to murder a priest After forcing Guy Coponet to hold a video camera and record the assassination of his priest one of the attackers calmed down and asked one of the religious sisters present and I am not afraid to die.” Then he exclaimed not God!” Sister Decaux found the theological discourse surreal The authorities were summoned and when the two young attackers attempted to leave the church religious ignorance and hateful rhetoric that were exploiting the vulnerability of these youths one of the Vincentian sisters present during Father Hamel’s murder Yet the hatred was not fueled from within their families The parents were horrified by what their children did The question of immigrants and especially Muslim immigrants has been a hot-button issue in Europe and the West It played no small part in the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union and has been front and center in recent elections in France Hungary and Poland as well as the United States Muslims attended memorial Masses in large numbers praying and weeping along with their Christian brothers and sisters While far-right parties such as Marine Le Pen’s National Front in France have attempted to use attacks by Islamist extremists to reinforce their xenophobic rhetoric more moderate voices such as Angela Merkl of Germany have tried to defuse the charged atmosphere by distinguishing between a few fanatics and the vast majority of peaceful and law-abiding Muslim immigrants and citizens at least in the cases of Germany and France members of Muslim and Christian communities sought a forum of encounter and reconciliation A beautiful painting of Father Hamel by Omar Moubine In the community of St.-Étienne-du-Rouvray the mosque reached out to the Catholic community to condemn the attack and profess its solidarity with its neighbors Although some of the extremists in both the Muslim and Christian camps attempted to exploit Father Hamel’s murder for their own political and ideological ends the overall reaction was one of mutual support The most poignant reflections on the attack and its aftermath come from the people who were directly affected by Father Hamel’s death the married couple who witnessed those last moments of the priest’s life have forgiven the perpetrators and are praying for their families stated that she does not hold the Muslim community collectively responsible and during a prayer service went to speak with them and console them She said the community was both surprised and immensely relieved that she did not hold this crime against them Extraordinary things happen within the ordinary setting of daily life Nobody knew what would transpire the day that Father Hamel was murdered at the altar except for God Father Hamel was not seeking martyrdom—it came to him But now that the terrible event has occurred can God not bring about a greater good from it This is the true effect of the blood of the martyrs: sowing the seeds of faith that then grow into flowers of love. If Father Jacques Hamel is officially declared a martyr and saint by the church (something which Pope Francis has stated that he earnestly desires) it will be as a result of an exemplary life lived for God and neighbor The blood that Father Hamel spilled beckons unity The work of Europe’s first martyr of the 21st century could be just beginning Nicholas Zinos is an attorney and freelance writer based in St Thousands have died all across Europe for similar reasons Rape is the favorite activity but homicide has increased dramatically The author and others should read "The Stange Death of Europe." This is not the beginning of a positive outcome it is the beginning of the endgame of eventual elimination nice job of framing the eulogy of Hamel in such compassionate Christianterms and no amount of sweet-talking will change the fact that Islamic terrorism is anti-Christian and anti-Europe Merkel is a fool for her open border policy that has changed the nature of German society Those who oppose mass immigration should not be denigrated with labels like xenophobic--they need the same compassionate understanding that you offer to Muslims The article is unequivocal in its condemnation of the crime The article shows that those who witnessed the murder and the priest’s sister do not hold individual Muslims to blame It is very clear about who is in the wrong and who perpetrates these crimes - fanatic Islamic terrorism This constitutes a minority of Muslims who want to live in peace alongside their Christian neighbours Do you have an answer to mass immigration apart from building walls and isolating people The life of Father Jacques is an inspiration to many Long live the memory of his heroic faith and dedicated service in my 75 years as a Catholic an almost constant background murmur has been barely audible but insistent that Catholics have been too hard line intolerant and lacking compassion for people of other religions Then we seem to have been told that Islam is one with Judaism and Christianity in being "people of the book" British and American scholarship in Islamic studies and historical research post war have made great strides in genuine authentic and horrifying disclosures.It is now clear that the Koran did not originate when it is claimed to have been revealed where it is described as having occurred and consisting of writings derivative of previous scripts of very dubious value.Long story short the locale of the character Mohammed was in the region of Petra contains clear references to a pre-existing local religion of the Nabateans who were well aware of Jews and Judaism and Christianity The revelations from the spirit guide resembling events and characters from the Old and New Testament have now been definitively identified as extracts from non-canonical writings known from surviving ancient manuscripts and none from the canon of scripture as we know it today The holy man alleged to be the central character of the Christians is named as Isa at a time when Arab Christians were using a different word as the name of Jesus and not only is Isa not Jesus but Jesus is not God and the Trinity is flatly condemned as blasphemy Americans may think of the book of Mormon as just as authentic Any and each community of Muslims must have three sources as guides to be properly formed religiously - the Koran the Hadith and the Sira and no study is credible which does not take all three sources into account Mainstream standard Islam is political and violently expansionary and rigidly murderous - to love a Muslim is to love an enemy and true to the Gospel You don't have permission to access the page you requested. What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed. French emergency services were summoned to the town of Saint Etienne-du-Rouvray claiming to be from the so-called Islamic State group Security forces took up position in the town's usually quiet streets security forces surrounded the church and shot dead the attackers One of them is being treated for serious injuries An elite police unit later raided a house belonging to a suspect linked to the attack Police remained on the streets of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray French President Francois Hollande visited the town meeting local officials and members of the security forces A makeshift memorial has been set up for the priest outside the town hall The town's residents have been gathering at the scene worshippers attended a mass in memory of the priest Similar ceremonies have been held across France - including this one at the Saint Jean cathedral in Lyon French soldiers have also been deployed at other religious sites Top storiesRussia says all airports in Moscow shut after drone attack Live. ASAP Rocky, Shah Rukh Khan and Chappell Roan arrive at Met Gala for fashion's biggest night of the year VE Day 80: Poignant thank you to a heroic generation Americans used to be steadfast in their support for Israel. Those days are gone Attenborough at 99 delivers 'greatest message he's ever told' What impact might Trump's Hollywood tariffs plan have? What Canada's Mark Carney can expect when he meets Trump India worried about Chinese 'dumping' as trade tensions with Trump escalate 'I want to give my island business away for free' VE Day moments so far - and what's still to come Politics Essential: Get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox every weekday The final series of Man Like Mobeen has arrived Louis Theroux visits the West Bank to meet Israeli settlers French soldiers stand guard as they prevent the access to the scene of an attack in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray France.Francois Mori | APGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, the first inside a church in the West. MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. Police rescued three people inside the church -- including a second nun -- in the small northwestern town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, said Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet. A regional Muslim leader said one of the two attackers was known to police, and a police official said he had tried to go to Syria. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to reveal details of the investigation, said the man was under police supervision and wore an electronic bracelet to monitor his movements. A statement published by the Islamic State-affiliated Amaq news agency said the attack was carried out by "two soldiers of the Islamic State" who acted in response to calls to target nations in the U.S.-led coalition fighting IS in Iraq and Syria. The statement echoed claims in other recent attacks in France and neighboring Germany. It repeated its threat to Western "crusaders." A special intervention force carried out a search for possible explosives in or around the church. "The investigations are ongoing. There are still unknowns," Brandet said. "There are dogs, explosive detectors and bomb disposal services" at the church outside the city of Rouen, the capital of France's Normandy region. A nun who was in the church said the Rev. Jacques Hamel was forced to the ground before his throat was slit. The nun, identified as Sister Danielle, told BFM television: "They forced him to his knees. He wanted to defend himself. And that's when the tragedy happened." She said the attackers recorded themselves. "They did a sort of sermon around the altar, in Arabic. It's a horror," she said. Dominique Lebrun, the archbishop of Rouen, confirmed Hamel's death. "I cry out to God, with all men of good will. And I invite all non-believers to unite with this cry," Lebrun wrote in a statement from Krakow, Poland. "The Catholic Church has no other arms besides prayer and fraternity between men." The priest "was always ready to help," said Rouen diocese official Philippe Maheut. He said Hamel had been at the church for the past decade. "Sometimes he was running all around, and his desire was to spread a message for which he consecrated his life," Maheut said in an interview with AP. "And he certainly didn't think that consecrating his life would mean for him to die while celebrating a Mass, which is a message of love." French President Francois Hollande, arriving on the scene, called it a "vile terrorist attack" and one more sign that France is at war with the Islamic State group. "We must lead this war with all our means," he said, adding that he was calling a meeting on Wednesday of representatives of all religions. He expressed solidarity with local Catholics, saying "they have been terribly hit by the killing of the parish priest by two terrorists claiming to belong to Daesh. I have met with the family of the priest." Daesh is another name for the Islamic State group. The town mayor, Hubert Wulfranc, in tears, denounced the "barbarism" and pleaded, "Let us together be the last to cry." Mohammed Karabila, head of the Regional Council of the Muslim Faith for Haute-Normandie, said French security services knew the name of one of the attackers. "The person who committed this odious act is known and he has been followed by the police for at least 1 1/2 years. He went to Turkey and security services were alerted after this," he told The Associated Press by phone. He refused to divulge the man's name and had no information on the second attacker. The pope condemned the attack in the strongest terms. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said in a statement that Pope Francis expressed his "pain and horror for this absurd violence, with the strongest condemnation for every form of hatred and prayer for those affected." France is on high alert and under a state of emergency after an attack in the southern city of Nice on Bastille Day -- July 14 -- that killed 84 people that was claimed by the Islamic State group, as well as a series of attacks last year that killed 147 others around Paris. French authorities increased security at churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship after the attacks in Paris last year, but ensuring constant, blanket security is difficult in a country with a church in every town and village. Islamic State extremists have urged followers to attack French churches and the group is believed to have planned at least one church attack earlier, though it was never carried out. In April 2015, an Algerian student who was arrested after shooting himself in the leg was found with heavy weapons, bulletproof vests and documents linked to Islamic State. He is charged with killing a young woman inside her car the same day. According to French authorities, the suspect, Sid Ahmed Ghlam, was sent by the Belgian Abdelhamid Abaaoud to attack a church in Villejuif, just outside of Paris. A cell directed by Abaaoud later carried out the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris that left 130 people dead and the March 22 attacks in Brussels that killed 32 people. The Algerian-born teenager's electronic tag had been deactivated during the day Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice One of the two attackers who slit the throat of an elderly priest in a church in France has been named as Adel Kermiche The 18-year-old and his unnamed accomplice stormed the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen in Normandy and forced 86-year-old Father Jacques Hamel to kneel before they slit his throat on camera in the style of an Isis murder video said the attackers handed her husband a mobile phone and demanded that he take photos or video of the priest after he was killed Her husband was in turn slashed in four places by the attackers and is now hospitalised with serious injuries The elderly woman identified only as Jeanine told RMC radio that her husband played dead to stay alive Two nuns were held hostage along with the couple and the priest while a third nun escaped and gave the alert One of the terrorists had a handgun and began to shout “Allah Akbar” and the other had a fake bomb with a timer They then gave a “sermon in Arabic” at the altar and were shot dead by police Family friend Jonathan Sacarabany said Kermiche grew up in a housing project in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray Mr Sacarabany said the jihadist was originally born in Algeria and had a sister who is a doctor in Rouen and a brother He said the family had previously told French authorities about his radicalisation to stop him going to Syria He was arrested in 2015 while trying to get to Syria using his brother's passport and was sent back to France This March he was arrested for plotting terrorist attacks Kermiche had been put under judicial supervision after his arrest but the electronic bracelet was deactivated for five hours a day allowing him to leave the house during the day without surveillance French prosecutor François Mollins said an investigation had been launched into the “cowardly” actions of the terrorists and a number of people had been arrested in connection with the attack Investigators believe the second assailant was a 19-year-old from south-east France who was previously unknown to police The source said the delay in formally identifying Abdel Malik P as the second attacker occurred because DNA tests were being carried out His identity card was found at Kermiche's home on Tuesday It comes as French President François Hollande has cancelled a visit to the Czech Republic for the second time following another terror attack on the country He had planned to meet with Czech President Milos Zemand and Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka to discuss the security situation in Europe One of the attackers who killed Father Jacques Hamel during mass has been named as 19-year-old Adel Kermiche France was plunged into profound horror and shock for the second time in 12 days when two men slit the throat of a priest as he was celebrating mass in a Normandy church on Tuesday morning. A nun who witnessed the murder described how the men forced Father Jacques Hamel to his knees before killing him and filmed themselves preaching in Arabic by the altar. They also tried to cut the throat of a parishioner, leaving him for dead. Read moreThe gruesome attack took place less than two weeks after a Tunisian man drove at high speed into a Bastille day crowd in the Riviera city of Nice killing 84 people and injuring hundreds more Tuesday’s attack was described by the French president, François Hollande, as an act of terrorism carried out by two followers of Islamic State The two men were shot dead by police as they came out of the church Sister Danielle was in the church at Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray when the men entered and took five hostages: the priest Nun who was taken hostage speaks out about the murder of Jacques Hamel GuardianShe fled as they killed Hamel They forced him to his knees; he wanted to defend himself and that’s when the drama began,” she said Sister Danielle said she had run out of the church while the men cut the priest’s throat Investigators said the assailants also tried to slit the throat of the other victim who was described as being seriously injured and between life and death They were busy occupied with their knives … and they were filming it They filmed themselves preaching in Arabic in front of the altar French police and rapid intervention forces were quickly at the scene said one of the attackers had been identified as Adel Kermiche who had tried several times to travel to Syria using the passports of family members Relatives had reported his disappearance to the authorities Adel Kermiche Photograph: FacebookKermiche disappeared the first time in March 2015 but was picked up by the German authorities and accused of trying to get to Syria using his brother’s passport but was given conditional parole awaiting trial He disappeared two months later trying to enter Syria from Turkey using his cousin’s identity papers Sent back again to France he was put under official investigation in May 2015 but released on 18 March 2016 on certain conditions including being fitted with an electronic tag allowing authorities to monitor his movements to live at his parents’ home and to only go out between 8.30am and 12.30pm Molins said the two men had cried Allahu Akhbar (God is Great) as they left the church with three of the hostages One man had a fake suicide belt made of aluminium and three knives the other was carrying a backpack made to look like a bomb and a kitchen timer Molins said police had tried to negotiate with the two men through a “small window opening on to the sacristie” The prosecutor adde that police had tried to enter the church and end the siege but the two men had placed three of their hostages as a human shield speaking after he arrived in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray described the incident as “a vile terrorist attack” by two supporters of Isis which claimed responsibility via its affiliated Amaq news agency police carried out raids on a house near the church where one of the attackers was reported to live with his parents said the church was rapidly surrounded by France’s anti-gang police (Brigade de Recherche et d’Intervention or BRI) who shot the attackers as they came out who wore black balaclavas to mask their identities and praised them for the speed of their intervention which he said “prevented a much higher toll and saved the lives of hostages … I have met with the family of the priest and I have spoken to the people kept hostage who expressed their pain and sadness as well as a wish to comprehend what has happened.” said the “barbaric” attack was a blow to the Catholic community and the whole of France Francis issued “the most severe condemnation of all forms of hatred” and said he was appalled “because this horrific violence took place in a church, a sacred place” and involved the “barbaric” killing of a priest. A woman who worshipped at the church described Hamel as “a man who fulfilled his role to the end. He was elderly but was always available for whoever. He was a good priest … He has been here for a long time and many parishioners knew him well. He lived in the rectory at Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray.” said everyone was shocked that the priest had been killed while celebrating mass “My message would be that we have to continue to meet The incident was the third major attack on France in 18 months and was claimed by Isis. Two attacks in Germany claimed by Isis since then have heightened the tension in Europe Analysts said while the threat was everywhere the national stadium and city centre bars and restaurants Jacques Hamel is seen during a 2016 church service in this handout photo from his parish in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray VATICAN CITY — The Archdiocese of Rouen concluded its sainthood inquiry into the life and death of a French priest who was killed while celebrating Mass Archbishop Dominique Lebrun of Rouen presided over the final session of the diocesan inquiry into the life and martyrdom of Father Jacques Hamel when two men stormed a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen while he celebrated Mass the attackers slit Father Hamel’s throat and seriously injured another parishioner which includes compiling the candidate’s writings and gathering sworn testimonies about his or her life and holiness can begin no sooner than five years after the person’s death Pope Francis set aside the restriction and allowed for the French priest’s sainthood cause to begin in 2017 The inquiry gathered the testimony of 66 witnesses including five people who witnessed Father Hamel’s murder The documentation from the diocesan inquiry will be sent to the Vatican Congregation for Saints’ Causes Pope Francis has on several occasions recognized Father Hamel’s holiness and cited him as an example of courage who gave his life for others throughout his life as priest until his brutal murder The pope celebrated a special requiem Mass for the slain priest several months after his death in the chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae Among those present at the Mass were Archbishop Lebrun Archbishop Lebrun said he had brought a photo of Father Hamel and asked Pope Francis to sign it with a note for three religious women who had been with Father Hamel at Mass that day the pope “immediately told me to put it on the altar,” the archbishop told reporters later ‘You can put this photo in the church because he is “blessed” now Arlington Catholic Herald200 N. Glebe Rd.Suite 615Arlington, VA 22203703-841-2590800-377-0511 Website Design and Development by New Target French authorities are under pressure after reports one of the killers had been arrested over links to terrorism but then released The teenage jihadis who murdered a priest celebrating mass in a French church made a video pledging their allegiance to Islamic State before the attack believed to be Adel Kermiche and his accomplice named by French investigators on Thursday as Abdel Malik Petitjean are shown in the video released by Isis’s Amaq news agency The minute-long film shows one of the men speaking in Arabic The second man is displaying a piece of paper on which the Isis flag is printed A still from a video released via Isis’s news channel, claiming to show the two attackers Adel Kermiche and Abdel Malik Petitjean.It is the third time in nine days Isis followers in Europe have sent video footage pledging allegiance to the Islamist group before carrying out attacks The previous two films were made by an Afghan refugee who hacked at passengers on a train in Würzburg and a 27-year-old Syrian who blew himself up outside a bar in Ansbach Witnesses to the Normandy church attack say Kermiche and the second man a 19-year old from Aix-les-Bains in the Savoie region also filmed themselves slitting the throat of Father Jacques Hamel as he celebrated mass in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen French authorities have come under intense pressure to explain how they let Kermiche loose after judges believed his claims that he regretted trying to join Isis and was not an extremist Normandy church attack: how the events unfolded GuardianKermiche had twice attempted to reach Syria to join Isis when he appeared before an investigating judge earlier this year Despite repeat warnings from the state prosecutor that there was a major risk he would reoffend if freed from prison he was given parole after convincing judges he wanted a new start “to see my friends He was ordered to wear an electronic tag to monitor his movements used his freedom to murder the Catholic priest on Tuesday forcing the elderly cleric to his knees before slitting his throat The teenager and his accomplice took five others hostage they left for dead after trying to cut his throat The attackers were shot by police as they walked out of the church It was the second major terrorist attack in France in less than two weeks after an Isis follower ploughed a lorry into crowds celebrating Bastille Day on 14 July in Nice The woman, identified only as Jeanine, told RMC radio that her husband played dead to stay alive. Two nuns were held hostage along with the couple and the priest. “The terrorists held me with a revolver at my neck,” she said, adding it was not clear to her now whether the weapon was real or fake. “He [the priest] fell down looking upwards, toward us.” Shock and grief at what France’s president, François Hollande, described as an “act by Islamic State terrorists”, turned to anger 24 hours after the attack, when details of Kermiche’s release from jail were revealed. Details from the police investigation into Kermiche, published by Le Monde, showed he was first interviewed by anti-terrorist officers on 20 March 2015 when an Adel Bouaoun, also from Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, entered Syria carrying a French identity card in Kermiche’s name. Read moreThree days later Kermiche disappeared but was arrested in Munich that evening on a coach to Belgrade carrying his brother’s identity card Kermiche’s father told police he was a religious fanatic and his sister added: “It took two months (for him to become radicalised) and he was no longer my little brother It was religion above everything … I don’t know what happened to him He was sent back to France where he was given conditional parole while awaiting trial He spent his 18th birthday in police custody and was officially put under investigation on 28 March then released under court supervision requiring that he report to police and remain in the area Kermiche broke the terms of his probation and flew to Istanbul with a 15-year-old friend he had encountered two weeks previously on Facebook The teenagers were expelled from Turkey and Kermiche was flown back to France where he was placed in jail awaiting trial The 15-year-old accomplice told detectives their aim had been to go to Syria and “die there as quickly as possible” Normandy church attack: nun who was taken hostage speaks out about death of priest GuardianWhile in jail described by police as “naive and easily influenced” was interviewed between October 2015 and February 2016 for a character report which found he had been treated for psychological problems between the ages of six and 13 A primary school report stated: “Angel or demon sometimes a model child … more often aggressive angry and not in a fit state to work.” The report also stated that he was expelled from secondary school in his second year for “behavioural problems” and had also spent time in a hospital secure ward and psychiatric unit Although teachers said he was brighter than other children he was warned about physical and verbal violence against classmates Le Monde said the character report was produced when Kermiche appeared before the judge in February this year when he insisted he was not an extremist citing the fact he often missed morning prayers because he had difficulty getting up in time decided to release him after hearing he had “suicidal thoughts” in prison and believing that he had “realised his mistakes … and is determined to take steps towards re-entering society” with the help and support of his family The court heard his parents “had admitted they preferred to know their son was incarcerated and alive than free and en route for Syria it’s because they sincerely believe he’s made a mistake and won’t try to leave again.” The public prosecutor declared the arguments “not very convincing” adding that “however much he claims he’s made an error and asks for a second chance there’s a very strong risk he’ll do the same thing again if freed” the prosecutor’s appeal against Kermiche’s release order was thrown out by a second court and he left jail on 18 March The terms of his release required him to be fitted with an electronic bracelet to live at his parents’ home and only go out in the local area between 8.30am and 12.30pm on weekdays said he was in favour of an evaluation of electronic tagging of terror suspects accused Hollande of being out of touch and called for the detention or electronic tagging of all those suspected of being Islamist militants even those who have not committed an offence Hollande led a mass homage to Father Hamel at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and security was stepped up once more across the country said the police force’s operational reserve would be increased after 2,500 people volunteered to join up following the Nice attack and more anti-terror forces would be deployed outside Paris The authorities in Cannes on the French Riviera announced they were banning large bags or cases on the beaches flowers and messages outside the town hall Several lamented that the town of 27,000 inhabitants had been a place of peace between religions built on land ceded by the nuns at the Sainte Thérèse church for the symbolic sum of €1 Frédéric Tran, a Rouen psychologist who set up a crisis centre said many locals had come to speak of their fears “They never thought such a thing could happen to them and in such a way,” he said “It has caused a lot of anguish and a feeling of widespread insecurity.” Former anti-terrorism judge Marc Trévidic said on Wednesday he had put Kermiche under investigation and warned that his case was not unique The French prosecutor who objected to Kermiche being freed warned he would flee to Syria Kermiche used his daily four-hour break from home to bring murder and terror to a small French village Hamel’s beatification process to move forward within 3 yearsCorinne SIMON/CIRIC 24 mars 2017 : 9e édition de la Nuit des témoins organisée par l'Aide à l'Eglise en Détresse (AED) French priest killed by Islamic State was “a priest and nothing more and that speaks to all mankind”The cause for the beatification of an elderly French priest killed a year ago by adherents of Islamic State is moving along quickly Father Jacques Hamel was an 86-year-old priest celebrating a morning Mass on July 26 Entering through the rear door of the church two men yelled allegiance to Daesh (ISIS) and killed him born in 1930 in Darnétal and ordained a priest in 1958 was vicar of the parish of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray Now the archbishop of Rouen is saying that the diocesan phase of his cause for beatification will be wrapped up within three years or so Archbishop Dominique Lebrun said this in the July 24-25 explaining that the rapid pace of the research and study that goes into preparing a beatification cause is motivated by the fact that most of the eye-witnesses of the attack are elderly Archbishop Lebrun said he asked Pope Francis permission to expedite the procedures prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints’ Causes Pope Francis already invoked a rarely-used exemption and waived the five-year waiting period after a person’s death before a cause for beatification can be initiated “to collect the testimony of other victims of the attack The first session for the study of beatification took place May 20 during which the tribunal heard from a dozen witnesses has “a reputation of holiness or martyrdom.” “He was not a media priest,” he added SearchISIS Slaughters French Priest in Terror Attack During Morning Mass at Normandy ChurchLog InSubscribeThe Christian Post To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Please click here to learn how You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience A priest was killed with a knife and another hostage seriously wounded in an attack on a church that was carried out by assailants linked to Islamic State | (Photo: REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol)Jihadis affiliated with the Islamic State stormed a church in Normandy and brutally murdered an 84-year-old priest and took nuns and worshipers as hostages Two assailants stormed the Church of the Gambetta in the Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray district of Normandy around 10 a.m The assailants also left three others wounded According to Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet one hostage was seriously hurt and is straddling the line between life and death at a nearby hospital Police were able to rescue three people from the church The police shot the two radicals dead and are investigating to see if there were other accomplices involved in the attack The Paris prosecutor's office, which oversees terror investigations, has detained one person for questioning. The Associated Press reports that the detainee offered no details on location or identity French President François Hollande responded to the attack by telling journalists in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray that IS (also known as ISIS and ISIL) is responsible for the "cowardly assassination" carried out by "by two terrorists in the name of Daesh." Daesh is the arabic acronym for IS "The threat remains very high," Hollande said IS has also claimed responsibility for the attack A statement posted to Telegram by the IS-linked Amaq news agency Tuesday claims that the assailants were "soldiers of the Islamic State." The statement also says that the attack was a response to calls by IS to target citizens of states participating in the United States-led anti-IS coalition IS supporters did not waste time in praising the attack "Yesterday in Ansbach and before that in Nice and today in Rouen," a statement on a pro-IS Telegram channel asserted IS supporters also took to Twitter to voice their praise of the attack "The (sense of) security you lived in has gone forever "Today no voice is louder than the voice of the Caliphate Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, condemned the attack and killing of Hamel by calling it "absurd violence." Hamel, who was ordained in 1958, had been retired for over a decade but still officiated services at the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray when the church's regular priest was busy, The Guardian reports the archbishop of Rouen who was in Poland for a gathering of young Catholics will be returning to France on Tuesday evening and will visit the church "The Catholic Church has no other arms than prayer and fraternity among men," Lebrun said "I will leave behind here hundreds of young people who are the future of humanity I ask them not to give up in the face of such violence and to become apostles for a civilization of love." the Christian human rights advocacy group In Defense of Christians released a statement explaining that "it is no accident that priests and nuns have become a special target." by radical Islamic terrorists is now as familiar as mass shootings It has been a characteristic of the violence of ISIS and their affiliates from Iraq to Syria to Yemen — and now France," IDC Executive Director Kirsten Evans said in a statement shared with The Christian Post "Clergy are non-violent servants of their communities The goal of ISIS and their affiliate violent extremists is to frame the current struggle as one between Muslims and Christians," she added a struggle between people of good will and these violent extremists IS' claim of responsibility for the priest's death comes after the group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing conducted in Germany that left many injured The bombing was conducted by a Syrian man who was reportedly denied asylum IS claims that the bomber was also acting on calls from IS "to target countries of the coalition that fights Islamic State." the suicide bomber allegedly pledged allegiance to the terror outfit Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone By making a recurring donation or a one-time donation of any amount you're helping to keep CP's articles free and accessible for everyone Hope you’ll give us another try and check out some other articles. 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Fellow clergy and parishioners pay tribute to the 85-year-old murdered in his church in Normandy Described as modest, dedicated and always available for his parishioners, Father Jacques Hamel, 85, who was murdered in his Normandy church while celebrating morning mass He still officiated regularly as auxiliary at the church in St Étienne-du-Rouvray stepping in when the parish’s regular priest The priest’s throat was slit by two men armed with knives who took five people – Hamel two nuns and two worshippers – hostage in the church Three hostages were freed unharmed but one is in a critical condition Normandy church attack: nun who was taken hostage speaks out about death of priest GuardianBorn in the same département of Seine-Maritime in 1930 and ordained in 1958, Hamel spent most of his working life in north-west France including more than 30 years at St-Étienne He celebrated 50 years in the clergy in 2008 he had asked to remain in the parish and continue to help when necessary “This man was a good man,” said the president of the regional council Parishioners said they were devastated by the murder. “My family have been here for 35 years and we have always known him,” the manager of a beauty parlour down the road from the church told L’Express magazine who came to know him when she took catechism classes with him as a young girl He was someone who was very much appreciated in the local community.” Another neighbour told the magazine: “This was a man who did his job to the very end He had been here for many years; he lived in the rectory here Normandy church attack: how the events unfolded GuardianMoanda-Phuati told Libération of his shock “I could not possibly imagine anything like this happening,” said the priest “We have never received any threats.” The Vatican spoke of a “barbaric killing” and “horrific violence … in a church a sacred place where the love of God is declared” where he was attending an international gathering of young Catholics that he would be returning to France on Tuesday evening and would visit the parish “The Catholic church has no other arms than prayer and fraternity among men,” the bishop said “I will leave behind here hundreds of young people who are the future of humanity I ask them not to give up in the face of such violence and to become apostles for a civilisation of love.” calls went up for Hamel to be put on a fast-track to sainthood which translates effectively as “make him a saint immediately,” began circulating on Twitter The archdiocese of Rouen in northern France held a special Mass today to mark the first anniversary of the assassination of an elderly parish priest Fr Jacques Hamel.The 85-year-old was killed while celebrating Mass on 26 July last year after two gunmen stormed his church in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray and cut Fr Hamel's throat The assailants also took parishioners hostage before thery were shot dead by police.At the exact time that the attack took place one year ago the Archbishop of Rouen Dominique Lebrun celebrated Mass at the church of Saint Etienne-du-Rouvray The service was followed by a public commemoration and the unveiling of a memorial stone with French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe among those paying tribute to Fr Hamel.In an interview on Vatican Radio with Olivier Bonnel whose beatification process is already underway has left an indelible spiritual heritage for the whole Church and beyond.The archbishop said that paradoxically Fr Jacques Hamel has seemed more alive than ever before He said while there is still a strong sense of grief and mourning the priest's death has also brought together people of very different political opinions.Archbishop Lebrun said the first fruit of the wound left by Fr Hamel's death is peace between people whose hearts are transformed as they perceive that they are united on the same spiritual journey.On the Sunday following the attack last year Muslims in many French towns and cities attended Mass to pray and show their support for the grieving family and community of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray Archbishop Lebrun said Muslim leaders in France and the vast majority of believers declared: 'this terrorism At the same time they can see that the terrorists are using Islam for their own ends and therefore the attack has marked a turning point in the decisions taken by the Muslim communities to stand up and work harder to root out radicalism See earlier reports on ICN: www.indcatholicnews.com/search/Fr%20Jacques%20Hamel Tags: Hamel, Fr Jacques Hamel, Archbishop Dominique Lebrun, The book in the Cathedral by Christopher de Hamel Syria: Bishop says martyrdom of Fr Hamel must not be exploited for political gain Cameroon: Easter heartbreak - A deeply moving Resurrection story from the frontline We offer publicity space for Catholic groups/organisations. See our advertising page if you would like more information ICN aims to provide speedy and accurate news coverage of all subjects of interest to Catholics and the wider Christian community As our audience increases - so do our costs You can support our journalism by advertising with us or donating to ICN Adore Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist Explained’ Series Addresses Marian Devotion in Arlington Diocese and Beyond Congress Must Act Against Online Child Exploitation Oklahoma Board Approves First Catholic Charter School in the Country Pope Francis Names Two New Auxiliary Bishops for San Diego Who Immigrated to US as Teens Catholic honored for helping raise money to restore Paris cathedral By Carol Zimmermann • Catholic News Service • Posted August 1 WASHINGTON (CNS) — Father Jacques Hamel’s gruesome murder in northern France July 26 — by men claiming allegiance to the Islamic State — prompted sorrow and outrage from Muslim leaders around the world “This attack in a place of worship and on innocent worshippers in particular demonstrates that there are no boundaries to the depravity of these murderers,” wrote Imam Qari Muhammad Asim The knife-yielding attackers slit the throat of 85-year-old Father Hamel and also injured two others in the church “In this extremely difficult time for the Catholic community we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters of all faiths,” the English imam said in a statement “An attack on any place of worship is an attack on a way of life of faith communities and therefore an attack on all of us.” Muslims and Jews attended Father Hamel’s Aug 2 funeral at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Rouen “It was a duty,” Hassan Houays a Muslim teacher from Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray “We are here so that we can get along together.” That solidarity also was evident July 31 when Muslims leaders and community members attended Masses at the Notre Dame Cathedrals in Paris and Rouen vice president of the Islamic Religious Community of Italy attended Mass at Rome’s Basilica of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem with about two dozen representatives of the community he said they came to “demonstrate brotherhood and to defend the sacred values of religion.” dozens of Muslims joined members of the Community of Sant’Egidio and parishioners for the main morning Mass told worshippers that those who murdered Father Hamel “have nothing to do with Islam.” “They are dangerous and the enemies of Islam,” he said The support among religious leaders also was immediately apparent after news spread about the murder of the beloved priest described as a grandfather figure at the parish in the Normandy working class town of St.-Etienne-du-Rouvray That’s in part because French President Francois Hollande not only assembled security officials after the church attack but he also gathered representatives of Christian churches and Muslim Buddhist and Jewish leaders to display interfaith unity president of the Regional Muslim Council of Normandy told a French newspaper he was “distressed at the death of his friend” Father Hamel and pointed out that the two of them had worked together in an interfaith committee for nearly two years since the beginning of Islamic State attacks in France He described the priest as “a man of peace A person who dedicated his life and his ideas to his religion grand imam of Egypt’s al-Azhar mosque and university who met with Pope Francis in May after years of suspended dialogue with the Vatican said in a July 26 statement that the church attackers lacked “any sense of humanity and all the values and principles of Islamic tolerance which invite us to peace and to avoid the bloodshed of innocents The imam also called for an “intensification of efforts and joint initiatives to deal with the cancer of terrorism that now threatens the entire world destroys innocent souls and threatens world peace.” Vigneron received letters from local imams expressing sorrow about Father Hamel’s death A letter from Imam Mohammad Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights pointed out that Muslims have also paid “a big price for the tragedy of terrorism war and violence in the Middle East and the world.” “Let’s all together and with one voice reject the so-called religious and political radicalism and all those who fund train and support those devilish forces of darkness and destruction and pray for a world of peace told Catholic News Service July 28 that Father Hamel’s death is “difficult to come to grips with on so many levels.” He said the priest’s death filled him with “absolute astonishment and an incredible sense of horror,” not only for the loss of a great human being but because it was “someone walking and living what he professed.” who are part of his online outreach through Snapchat have been praising the priest because they recognize he was an ally Father Hamel’s death hit particularly close to home for Imam Webb because it reminds him that he could be threatened since this spring he and four other America Muslim leaders were placed on an ISIS hit list accused of being apostates for their efforts to promote Islam’s coexistence within the Western world The priest’s death also was a harsh reminder of the deaths so many family members in his community have experienced because of acts of terror He also feels the weight that many in the Muslim community feel when terrorism is committed in the name of Islam because then all Muslims can be cloaked with suspicion or hatred he said he was living in Boston during the Boston Marathon bombing and although he didn’t know the Tsarnaev brothers behind the bombing he felt he “had to answer for what they did” because they were Muslim Imam Webb spoke about the life of Father Hamel at a program he coordinates in Washington called City Sundays Matthew the Apostle at the invitation of a parishioner a Muslim who heard the imam speak about Father Hamel at a July 27 talk said she came away from the discussion further convinced of the importance of engaging in and understanding Islamic tradition especially when “others actively misuse it and abuse it.” who works for Georgetown University’s Bridge Initiative at the campus’ Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding said she also feels more strongly about the importance of interfaith work as a means to build connections and tear down misconceptions Finding common ground with people of other faiths referred to as a “gray zone,” is something Islamic State leaders are opposed to a sociology professor at Rice University in Houston who has recently published a study on previously untranslated writings by the prophet Muhammad He said these writings — long hidden in secluded monasteries — prove that the persecution of Christians by ISIS was never justified by Mohammed and they also show that Christians living within Muslim communities at the time of Muhammad were protected and defended who has studied how Islam intersects with American life has been to more than 120 mosques “from Hawaii to Vermont” and points out that as a Catholic he has been only experienced hospitality and welcome there And he too is further convinced he should keep writing and giving speeches at mosques in the wake of ongoing terrorist activity Father Hamel’s murder “gave voice to the extreme,” he said So for his part he is determined to stick with “little things” that might make some inroads to change “It starts with dialogue,” he said “People have to want to talk with each other.” Therese Church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray a day after French priest Father Jacques Hamel was killed with a knife and another hostage was seriously wounded in an attack on a church carried out by assailants linked to Islamic State groups CatholicPhilly.com works to strengthen the connections between people families and communities every day by delivering the news people need to know about the Catholic Church you and hundreds of other people become part of our mission to inform form in the Catholic faith and inspire the thousands of readers who visit every month Please join in the church's vital mission of communications by offering a gift in whatever amount that you can ― a single gift of $40 Your gift will strengthen the fabric of our entire Catholic community and sustain CatholicPhilly.com as your trusted news source PREVIOUS: Superhero cape project brings joy to young patients Syrian minorities want security before they return home and the Church has fallen into abject heresy USCCB: Statement of USCCB on Vatican’s Document Addressing Pastoral Blessings Pope Francis’ May 2023 Prayer Intention | Watch Video Catholic Charities of Philadelphia Returns to Roots Dan Tarrant Brings God to the World Through Catholic Filmmaking A second worshipper was in a critical condition after being stabbed by the knife-wielding assailants during their attack on the church in the quiet provincial town of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, outside Rouen. The terrorists were shot dead by the Research and Intervention Brigade, an elite police unit, when they emerged from the church shouting Allahu akbar (God is greatest). A police officer next to the body of one of the attackersGETTY IMAGESIslamic State claimed responsibility for the killing, describing the terrorists as soldiers. One was a terrorism suspect who had been released from custody four months ago and allowed to live at home with an electronic tag. Youths who knew the suspect in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray Thousands of people gathered inside Rouen Cathedral on Tuesday (2 August) for the funeral of Father Jacques Hamel a priest who was killed while leading morning mass in the nearby town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray by two French citizens chanting in Arabic later named as Adel Kermiche and Abdel Malik Petitjean "He would often ask himself: 'Why me?' Today Our God of love and mercy chose you to be at the service of others," she said A picture of Hamel was placed by the altar and people who had come to pay their respects watched the service on a giant television screen outside Hamel's murder was the first Islamist attack on a church in western Europe It came just 12 days after a Tunisian man who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State drove his truck through a crowd of people during Bastille Day celebrations in the Riviera city of Nice Islamist militants have killed more than 200 people in France since January 2015 "We must guard against being paternalistic but we must have the lucidity to recognise that there is an urgency to helping 'Islam of France' get rid of those that undermine it from within," Valls told the weekly Journal du Dimanche But some Islamic leaders have expressed doubts over the government's plans "It's on the internet that radicalisation takes place not in the mosques," Moroccan-born Tareq Oubrou "We mustn't kid ourselves." France has the largest Muslim minority in the European Union Two attackers took hostages inside a French church during morning Mass on Tuesday near the city of Rouen killing an 86-year-old priest by slitting his throat before being shot and killed by police ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack Another person inside the church in Normandy was seriously injured and is hovering between life and death Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said Police managed to rescue the only three other people inside the church in the small northwestern town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray A regional Muslim leader said one of the two attackers — who were killed outside the church — was known to police Two attackers invaded a church Tuesday during morning Mass near the Normandy city of Rouen killing an 84-year-old priest by slitting his throat and taking hostages before being shot and killed by police It was the first known attack inside a French church in recent times A statement published by the ISIL-affiliated Amaq news agency said the attack was carried out by “two soldiers of the Islamic State” who acted in response to calls to target nations in the U.S.-led coalition fighting ISIL in Iraq and Syria The RAID special intervention force was searching for possible explosives in or around the church There are still unknowns,” Brandet said explosive detectors and bomb disposal services and as long as there are still unknowns the judicial police cannot get inside the site And I invite all non-believers to unite with this cry,” Lebrun wrote in a statement from Krakow “The Catholic Church has no other arms besides prayer and fraternity between men.” called it a “vile terrorist attack” and said it’s one more sign that France is at war with the ISIL which has claimed a string of attacks on France French President Francois Hollande speaks with emergency services personnel after arriving at the scene of the hostage situation in Normandy Two attackers took hostages inside a French church during morning Mass on Tuesday in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray “We must lead this war with all our means,” he said adding that he was calling a meeting on Wednesday of representatives of all religions He expressed solidarity with local Catholics saying “they have been terribly hit by the killing of the parish priest by two terrorists claiming to belong to Daesh I have met with the family of the priest.” A police official said one of the attackers was turned back after trying to go to Syria who spoke on condition of anonymity to reveal details of the investigation said the man wore an electronic bracelet to monitor his movements head of the Regional Council of the Muslim Faith for Haute-Normandie said French security services knew the name of one of the attackers “The person who committed this odious act is known and he has been followed by the police for at least 1 1/2 years He went to Turkey and security services were alerted after this,” he told The Associated Press by phone He refused to divulge man’s name and had no information on the second attacker The pope condemned the attack in the strongest terms said in a statement the attack hits particularly hard “because this horrific violence took place in a church a sacred place in which the love of God is announced and the barbaric murder of a priest.” French police officers seal off one of the access to the scene of an attack in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray France is on high alert and under a state of emergency after an attack in the southern city of Nice on Bastille Day — July 14 — that killed 84 people that was claimed by the ISIL as well as a series of attacks last year that killed 147 others around Paris ISIL extremists have urged followers to attack French churches and the group is believed to have planned at least one church attack earlier an Algerian student who was arrested after shooting himself in the leg was found with heavy weapons bulletproof vests and documents linked to ISIL He is charged with killing a young woman inside her car the same day was sent by the Belgian Abdelhamid Abaaoud to attack a church in Villejuif A cell directed by Abaaoud later carried out the Nov 13 attacks in Paris that left 130 people dead and the March 22 attacks in Brussels that killed 32 people CCTV America’s Asieh Namdar interviewed Joav Toker professor at the American Graduate School in Paris Interior minister backs French Muslim council proposal after Normandy attack revives debate over radical overseas influence on worshippers A new foundation will be created to help finance mosques in France in an effort to prevent the funding of places of worship by radical overseas benefactors proposed that the foundation could be used to fund the construction and running of mosques paid for by fees from the halal food sector which is home to the EU’s largest Muslim community prohibits the use of state funds for places of worship has said he wants to stop the financing of mosque construction from abroad Kbibech said on Monday: “Almost all Muslims of France are attached to a serene, open, tolerant Islam and they are fully respecting the values and laws of the republic.” said he wanted the foundation to be launched in October The debate about mosque funding was revived by the killing of a priest at a church in Normandy last week by two followers of Islamic State It has been suggested that overseas influence over certain mosques could encourage the radicalisation of worshippers Cazeneuve said 20 Muslim places of worship had been shut down in recent months due to extremism “There’s no room in France for those who call for and stir up hatred in prayer rooms or mosques and do not respect the principles of the republic,” he said He added that the government was working on a way to guarantee “total transparency” in the financing of the mosques while at the same time strictly respecting the secular principles of the republic.