Please Pray for Fr. Tom

Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, a prisoner of a barbaric group with possible ties to ISIS, could be crucified today on Good Friday.

Although there are many conflicting reports, please pray for Fr. Tom.

The Franciscan Sisters of Siessen reportedly recently posted on Facebook that they were “informed that the Salesian priest, Fr. Tom, who was kidnapped by ISIS from the Missionaries of Charity Home in Yemen is being tortured and is going to be crucified on Good Friday. This calls for serious concerted prayers from all of us.”

Fr. Tom was reportedly captured by the barbaric terrorists in a raid on a retirement home in Aden in which 16 people were killed including four nuns. The only survivor of the attack, Sister Sally, survived because she hid behind a door. But she witnessed the terrorists killing people by shooting them in the head “one by one.”

Her detailed account, according to the Christian Post, reads: "They were killed one by one. They tied them to trees, shot them in the head and smashed their heads… These ISIS men were everywhere, searching for her, as they knew there were five [nuns]…At least three times they came into the refrigerator room. She did not hide, but remained standing behind the door — they never saw her. This is miraculous."

Father Mathew Valarkot, spokesman for the Salesians’ Bangalore province, said: “We have absolutely no information on Fr. Tom.”

Please pray for his safe return and ask the Lord to give him grace and strength to deal with whatever happens.