Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Pope Celebrates Mass for Murdered French Priest; Compares Fr. Jacques Hamel to Christ as a Martyr

Pope Francis has celebrated Mass in honor of murdered French priest Fr. Jacques Hamel, calling him a "martyr" and suggesting that sainthood may not be far off, the Catholic News website reports today (September 14, 2016).

Francis celebrated the Mass yesterday morning, joined by 80 pilgrims from Fr. Hamel's diocese of Rouen.

In his homily, the Pontiff called the priest "blessed," the step previous to sainthood, asking the faithful to pray for his intercession so that he "gives us the courage to say the truth: To kill in the name of God is satanic."

"This man accepted his martyrdom next to the martyrdom of Christ, on the altar," Francis said during his homily, which was interpreted into French as he was delivering it.

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