Terrorism
This morning, President of French Republic François Hollande convened the Conference of Worship Representatives in France at the Elysee after yesterday’s terror attack at the church of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Seine-Maritime, during which Father Jacques Hamel was cruelly killed. At the meeting, for the Catholic Church, Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal André Vingt-Trois was present; and the representatives of several Christian churches in France (Protestant and Orthodox), and of Jewish and Muslim communities participated. Yesterday evening, at the Elysee, President Hollande received Archbishop of Rouen Monsignor Dominique Lebrun who was back from Poland, where he participated in the World Youth Day together with the young people from his diocese. Yesterday, at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Rouen, a Mass was celebrated to recall Father Hamel, and tonight, in Paris, Cardinal Vingt-Trois will make a celebration. “The sadness striking us must not curb our hope”, says the Cardinal. “The trials our country is facing are asking us to find new solidarity, and to strengthen the links uniting us. Today, our society needs to fortify its reactions skills in terms of peace and serenity; otherwise we shall play into the hands of jihadist strategy”.
