Remembering Fr. Jacques Hamel on
the anniversary of his killing
Fr Jacques Hamel's tombstone. |
Father Jacques Hamel was slain before the altar of his
parish church in northern France by two islamist militants on 26 July 2016. The
cause of his Beatification has already been opened.
By Linda Bordoni
Fr. Jacques Hamel was murdered by extremist
Islamic militants two years ago to this day in his parish in northern France
while celebrating Holy Mass.
Pope Francis has held up his testimony of faith
also as a reminder of all the other Christian martyrs whose blood is shed
across today’s world.
It was during Mass in the Casa Santa Marta, celebrated
together with the Bishop of Rouen and father Jacques Hamel’s family, that Pope
Francis described the slain French parish priest as “a gentle, good man, who
fostered brotherhood”.
Father Hamel was brutally murdered by two militants
affiliated to the so-called Islamic State while celebrating Holy Mass priest in
his Church of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Rouen.
So today, 26 July, in memory of Fr. Hamel, his diocese has
organized a series of events including a “Republican ceremony for peace and
fraternity” in the presence also of the French Interior Minister, and a number
of religious initiatives. These include the recitation of the Rosary, a silent
procession and Mass celebrated by Archbishop Dominique Lebrun at the exact same
time as Fr. Jacques’ murder.
Archbishop Lebrun was present during that Casa Santa Marta
Mass when Pope Francis called Fr. Hamel one of the many Christian “martyrs” of
the Church today. Men and women, he said, “who are murdered, tortured,
imprisoned, slaughtered because they refuse to renounce their faith and deny
Jesus Christ.”
They form “a chain” the Pope said, which reaches as far as
Father Jacques whose cause of beatification was opened in April 2017 thanks to
a papal dispensation cutting short the usual five year wait.
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