By Jose Kavi
New Delhi: Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, head of the Catholic Church in India, has urged his people to intensify their prayers for the release of a Salesian priest who was abducted in Yemen more than ten months ago.
“With much anguish, supplication and prayer we have been awaiting the release of Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil for the last 10 months,” says the cardinal in an appeal sent to all 170 Catholic dioceses in the country.
The cardinal urges all bishops, parish priests, religious and lay leaders to conduct special prayers for Father Uzhunnalil either on January 21 or the following day, according to their convenience.
The prelate, who is the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), also says he has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to request the government to expedite efforts for the priest’s release. “I am eagerly waiting for an appointment with the Honorable Prime Minister of India,” the cardinal says.
The CBCI president also invites all Indians and people of good will to join his people in praying for the 58-year-old Salesian priest, who was abducted on March 4, 2016, from Aden, a port city in southern Yemen.
“May every place of worship and our houses be filled with prayers for our beloved Fr. Tom,” the cardinal’s appeal says.
He also explains that the CBCI has been in constant contact with the federal Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and her people to expedite the release of the priest.
“The CBCI general secretariat has also been in touch with Bishop Paul Hinder, vicar apostolic of Southern Arabia, Yemen. We have been assured that he is alive and safe,” the cardinal says.
The Indian Church leader says they have intensified their efforts for Father Uzhunnalil’s release after a video recording surfaced on December 24, 2016, showing a bearded man claiming to be the priest appealing to Pope Francis and the government and the Church in India for his release.
The Islamic militants abducted Father Uzhunnalil from a home for elderly managed by the Missionaries of Charity. The abductors also killed 16 people, including four nuns.
Cardinal Cleemis says the entire Church is very worried and concerned about Father Uzhunnalil.
“Let us also pray for the conversion of those who are holding him captive and pray that God may give them the grace to realize the injustice of their acts,” he concludes.
Earlier, the Indian government had explained that Father Uzhunnalil had gone to Yemen ignoring its warning against traveling to the troubled nation.