Syria: Hopes grow for safety of missing priest Fr Paolo Dall'Oglio

Source: Fides/Farm Street Church

Father Paolo Dall'Oglio, an Italian Jesuit who was kidnapped in Syria in 2013, is reported to be among a group of hostages being held by ISIS in the south-east of the country, Vatican news agency Fides said today, citing Lebanese media sources

Fides mentioned a report by Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, which is considered close to Hezbollah, which said Dall'Oglio was with a group Western and Kurdish hostages. Last month The Times reported the extremist Islamist group was using Dall'Oglio and two other Western hostages, British journalist John Cantlie and a nurse from New Zealand, as "bargaining chips" in negotiations with the US-backed Kurdish-Arab forces surrounding them.

Fr Paolo was kidnapped in Raqqa on July 29, 2013. On January 30 2019, relatives of Fr Paolo were received in private audience by Pope Francis. Many prayers vigils have been kept around the world for Fr Paulo. On February 13 last year, a torchlight procession in his name was organised in Rome by the Association of journalists, friends of Father Paolo.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Farm Street has a picture of Fr Paolo on their Shrine for Peace in the Middle East and the following appeal for prayers on their website:

Pray with us

For peace and reconciliation in Syria and the Middle East and for Fr Paolo Dall'Oglio SJ who went missing on the 29th of July 2013.

Lord, let me welcome all my sisters and brothers with the arms of Christ

May I listen to their stories with the openness of Christ

And May I embrace them with the love of Christ

Through my hospitality, may they once more call our church their home.

Amen

If you are able please come and pray for Fr Paolo at Farm Street church.