Prayers answered Fr Bossi released

The full story is here

An Italian priest, Giancarlo Bossi, who was kidnapped at gunpoint in the southern Philippines last month, has been freed.

The news was announced by the Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, and coincides with the 87th birthday of Father Bossi’s mother.

Fourteen government soldiers were killed last week as they searched for the priest.

The Philippine army blamed their deaths on Islamists linked to al-Qaeda.

Father Bossi, who plans to meet with his parishioners before heading back to Italy to see his family, said his captors treated him “with respect.”

Praise God.

The Beckham’s – the effect of wealth and celebrity

 You go from this:

to this:

Scary…

One month since Fr Bossi was kidnapped

Today marks one month since Fr Giancarlo Bossi, missionary of the Pontifical Institute of Foreign Missions was kidnapped. His Order havewritten this prayer and ask that Christians of all denominations would join with them in prayer for his safe release.

Freedom! Fr Giancarlo answered the call of the Lord to follow Him in the mission of proclaiming God’s Kingdom, a Kingdom of peace where all people enjoy the liberty of God’s children. Now his unconditional commitment to that calling and mission has cost him his own freedom, as he is being held unjustly by criminal elements, who have yet to reveal their true intentions. Lord, set him free!

Freedom! The kidnappers of Fr Bossi might believe that they are in control of the situation. To them we say: “Brothers, don’t you realize that when you engage in this criminal activity, you become trapped in a cycle of violence and sin? You too are in need of freedom; you need to be freed from the chains of selfishness and evil.” Lord, set them free!

Freedom! We have noted the tendency of some to use the suffering of Fr Bossi in order to further political and/or ideological ambitions. We pray that all those who involve themselves in this situation will be free from self-interest and political maneuverings. Lord, set them free!

Freedom! Each of us can ask ourselves if we are truly free: free from fear, anxiety and worry; free from prejudice and judgement; free from resentment and desire for revenge. As we continue to pray for the safe release of our brother Giancarlo, we too seek freedom from any sinful inclinations that might come in the guise of righteousness. Lord, set us free!

Freedom! We continue to thank from the bottom of our hearts all those who join us in solidarity and prayer for Fr Giancarlo Bossi. May he soon be free to return to the ministry of peace and liberty which he so loves. Lord, we beg you, set him free. Lord, we beg you, grant true freedom to all your people.

Vicar in Baghdad forced to flee

I was saddened to read this on the BBC’s website:

A vicar who has been working to secure the release of five British hostages in Iraq has fled the country after being denounced as a spy. Canon Andrew White, who ran Iraq’s only Anglican church, left Baghdad amid fears for his safety. The five Britons’ abductors reportedly threatened to kill them unless the vicar stopped trying to find them. The captives, four security guards and a consultant, were abducted on 29 May, from the finance ministry in Baghdad. They were seized by insurgents disguised as Iraqi police.

‘Serious threat’

Canon White left Baghdad after pamphlets dropped in Shia areas of the Iraqi capital reportedly branded the vicar as “no more than a spy”. An unconfirmed report in London-based newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi said the leaflets accused Mr White of trying to broker deals against the kidnappers.

The vicar, who was based at St George’s Church in Baghdad, arrived back in Britain on Wednesday morning. The Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East, of which Mr White is executive director, confirmed he had left Iraq because of a “serious security threat”.

In Baghdad, the British Embassy confirmed that the vicar, who was previously based at Coventry Cathedral, had been working on the release of the five British hostages. Mohammed Shokat, head of the political section at the British Embassy, confirmed Mr White’s departure, saying: “He has left Iraq because of a security threat.”

The ministry Andrew has been engaged in is incredibly delicate and dangerous. He has been responsible for the release of countless hostages  in Iraq, and almost always the news of his work has to be kept quiet. Earlier this year the Iraqi lay pastor of St George’s was kidnapped and threatened with execution, and Canon White was able to obtain his release, though at the cost of moving the pastor and his family to a new ’safe house’. On the website of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East Andrew has this description of the St George’s:

St George’s Baghdad is the only Anglican Church functioning in Iraq. Apart from my involvement, it’s entire large and growing congregation is Iraqi. It is undoubtedly a church in one of the most dangerous places in the world, now surrounded with barbed wire and concrete barricades. It is a place where all of our original church leaders have been killed in 2005, yet new leaders have stepped forward and St. George’s continues to be a wonderful gathering of people of true faith.

Our thoughts are with Canon White, his colleagues, and those on whose behalf they labour.

Rebels behead Filipino Marines

From the BBC website

Eight Philippine marines have been killed, four of them beheaded, by Islamic rebels in the south of the country, the army says.

It says nine marines were injured and six others were missing after a clash near Tipo Tipo town on Basilan island.

Tuesday’s clash took place as the army searched for a seized Italian priest.

The kidnappers are believed to be either Abu Sayyaf militants or the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, seeking an independent Muslim state in the south.

Marine spokesman Lt Col Ariel Caculitan said the marines ran into a group of some 300 armed men during their search for the priest, triggering the clash.

Eight marines died during the fighting, four of them “were found to be beheaded,” the spokesman said.

“We’re still looking for the other six, but hopefully some of them may be alive,” he said.

The priest, named as Giancarlo Bossi, was seized by armed men near the coastal village of Bulawan near Zamboanga on 10 June.

Eid Kabalu, a spokesman for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday confirmed that the group’s members clashed with the marines, according to the AFP news agency.

But the rebel spokesman said the MILF was not involved in the kidnapping of the priest.

The MILF signed a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2003, but the authorities have in the past blamed rogue elements from the group for some abductions.

Pictures of Fr Bossi bring hope

Reuters have the full story, but some photo’s of fr Bossi have been sent to another priest in the Philippines.

Lieutenant-General Eugeno Cedo said at least four pictures of Giancarlo Bossi were sent, via mobile phone, to a Filipino priest based on Basilan island, on Thursday night.

One photo showed Bossi sitting in a forest, wearing a white sports shirt with blue stripes, the clothes he wore when he was abducted.

Another picture showed him holding a radio with a water jug beside him. He was in red slippers, with his rubber shoes nearby.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for kidnapping Fr Bossi, but the press is reporting that those engaged in the search for him believe it is a rogue faction of the MILF (a Muslim separatist group) engaged in ‘kidnap for ransom’.

Interview with Akinola in the Times

Peter Akinola is the Archbishop of Nigeria, and a leader amongst Conservative Anglicans in the Anglican communion. This is the first interview he has done for a broadsheet, and is well worth a read.

I particularly appreciated this:

When America invades Afghanistan it is in the name of world peace. When Nigeria moves to Biafra it is an invasion. When England takes the Gospel to another country, it is mission. When Nigeria takes it to America it is an intrusion. All this imperialistic mentality, it is not fair.”

He has a point.

Liberty for the captives

Great news on the BBC Website.

Their reporty Alan Johnston has been released by his abductors. It’s not clear exactly who did what to obtain his freedom, but Hamas is claiming a fair amount of credit.

In the Philippines, there is not much more news on Fr Bossi, except that the head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has revealed that they have proof positive that he is alive.

General Hermogenes Esperon Jr., said Monday that they were able to acquire a “solid proof of life” and had established a connection with the kidnapped Italian priest.

There had been a news story that a group of concerned citizens had offered to negotiate on behalf of Fr Bossi. And they were challenged by the General that if they wanted to help they should obtain ‘proof of life’, who knows if this is it. Lets hope and pray that this ‘connection’ with Fr Bossi leads to his safe and peaceful release as in the case with Alan Johnston.