Birmingham: Archbishop Longley prays in solidarity with people of France

Archbishop Longley

The Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Reverend Bernard Longley, has offered prayers at St Chad's Cathedral, in solidarity with the French nation and "alongside all our brothers and sisters in Christ within the Church in France."

Addressing British members of the Hospitalité Notre-Dame de Lourdes, who are holding a gathering at St Chad's, Archbishop Bernard said "words are not adequate to sum up how we feel in the face of such appalling acts of terrorism against innocent people out in the city with their friends and families. Nor can we easily understand the process of thinking or the motives that lie behind these indiscriminate acts of hatred and destruction. As a confused and frightening picture continues to emerge from Paris our first and always our most effective response is to turn again to God in prayer and ask him to receive those who have died and to comfort those who have been injured, to sustain all their bereaved and stricken families and to strengthen the emergency services and those who have been the first to bring help and support.

He finished his homily with these words: " We pray especially for all those faced with evil and suffering at this time and we ask that they too may witness the goodness and mercy of God through all those who will help them today. May the prayers of our Lady of Lourdes and the example of St Bernadette help us to be steadfast witnesses to our faith in the midst of the world and its troubles today and in the days to come. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for France. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us."

Source: Archdiocese of Birmingham