The Catholic community in India heaved a huge sigh of relief and erupted with joy when the news about kidnapped Catholic priest Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil’s release started trickling in on Tuesday afternoon.
Congratulatory messages began pouring in at Indian Catholic Matters (ICM) and it wishes to thank one and all for keeping Fr. Uzhunnalil in their prayers. ICM was one of first one to corroborate the development with the Ministry of External Affairs.
Fr. Uzhunnalil expressed his thanks to God Almighty and to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, and wished him good health and wellness. He also thanked his brothers, sisters and all relatives and friends who prayed for his safety and release.
India’s Minister for External Affairs, Ms. Sushma Swaraj, was one of the first ones to confirm and tweet the happy news, “I am happy to inform that Father Tom Uzhunnalil has been rescued.”
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan too joined of thousands of people over the priest’s release and said, ““The news of Fr Uzhunnalil’s rescue is heartening. Wishing him well.”
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) to expressed its immense joy on getting the news of the release of Fr. Uzhunnalil. Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, SFX, Secretary General, expressed profound gratitude to God, “The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India wants to place on record its immense gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ms. Sushma Swaraj the Minister of External Affairs and the Government of India for persistently and perseveringly working to obtain the release of Fr. Uzhunnalil.
Various Salesian priests including Father Albert Johnson, secretary of the Salesian Provincial Conference of India and Father Joyce Thonikuzhiyil, expressed happiness over the rescue. The Salesians Provincial Conference of India thanks all those who were involved in the release efforts and all those all over the world who prayed unceasingly for the safe release of Father Tom.
Bishops and priests all over the world and pzrticlulary India rejoiced over the news of the release. Many Indian dioceses, churches, laity, religious congregations offered thanksgiving prayers soon after learning about the release.