...the Rev. Jacques Mourad rededicates his life
to Christian-Muslim dialogue because it's God's will!
“Mourad said he believes his reputation at the monastery, where he fostered interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims, saved his life.
“I’m convinced I’m alive also thanks to this mission . the work we did contributed to preventing Islamic State (ISIS) from killing me,” he said.
He recalled a moment in which he thought he was to be killed, when a man came and asked if he was Christian. But — to Mourad’s surprise — the man then greeted him.
“That amazed me because normally the people (militants) don’t shake Christians’ hands or touch them, because they consider them impure. They don’t even greet Muslims that don’t think like them,” Mourad said.”
source: Crux, Priest who survived ISIS: ‘My interfaith work saved my life’
“On Aug. 4, the self-proclaimed Islamic State captured and demolished Mar Elian monastery, where Mourad had served for 15 years. Aside from the extensive archaeological excavation and renovations he oversaw, the priest promoted dialogue and coexistence between Christians and Muslims.
“For many years he built bridges between the religions. This has now proved its value in the war,” the Rev. Jihad Youssef, a fellow Syriac Catholic, told the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need after Mourad’s abduction.
Mourad also had been sheltering Christian and Muslim refugees at the monastery.
When asked by Catholic News Service how he sees his mission for the future, the priest shrugged his shoulders and responded: “After this happened to me, I have a bigger responsibility now, with Christian-Muslim dialogue. We can’t play with God’s will.””
source: Crux, Freed Syrian priest recalls kidnapping at hands of ISIS
the Rosary and interfaith dialogue saved him!
Perhaps he could try some IFD with Rabbi Gopstein!
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