The following comes from an Aug. 20 story by Catherine Harmon in Catholic World Report.
The news broke late yesterday that Islamic State jihadists executed freelance journalist James Foley and posted a video of his beheading. Foley, 40, had been missing for two years while covering the conflict in Syria. I am not going to link to the video or include screen shots from it, but I will share another link that has been circulating since the news of Foley’s brutal death: an article he wrote for the alumni magazine of Marquette University, his alma mater. The piece is about the time Foley spent imprisoned in Libya in 2011:
I began to pray the rosary. It was what my mother and grandmother would have prayed. I said 10 Hail Marys between each Our Father. It took a long time, almost an hour to count 100 Hail Marys off on my knuckles. And it helped to keep my mind focused.
Clare and I prayed together out loud. It felt energizing to speak our weaknesses and hopes together, as if in a conversation with God, rather than silently and alone. …
One night, 18 days into our captivity, some guards brought me out of the cell. … Upstairs in the warden’s office, a distinguished man in a suit stood and said, “We felt you might want to call your families.”
I said a final prayer and dialed the number. My mom answered the phone. “Mom, Mom, it’s me, Jim.”
“Jimmy, where are you?”
“I’m still in Libya, Mom. I’m sorry about this. So sorry.” …
“They’re having a prayer vigil for you at Marquette. Don’t you feel our prayers?” she asked.
“I do, Mom, I feel them,” and I thought about this for a second. Maybe it was others’ prayers strengthening me, keeping me afloat.
The official made a motion. I started to say goodbye. Mom started to cry. “Mom, I’m strong. I’m OK. I should be home by Katie’s graduation,” which was a month away.
“We love you, Jim!” she said. Then I hung up.
I replayed that call hundreds of times in my head — my mother’s voice, the names of my friends, her knowledge of our situation, her absolute belief in the power of prayer. She told me my friends had gathered to do anything they could to help. I knew I wasn’t alone.
My last night in Tripoli, I had my first Internet connection in 44 days and was able to listen to a speech Tom Durkin gave for me at the Marquette vigil. To a church full of friends, alums, priests, students and faculty, I watched the best speech a brother could give for another. It felt like a best man speech and a eulogy in one. It showed tremendous heart and was just a glimpse of the efforts and prayers people were pouring forth. If nothing else, prayer was the glue that enabled my freedom, an inner freedom first and later the miracle of being released during a war in which the regime had no real incentive to free us. It didn’t make sense, but faith did.
To read the original Catholic World Report story, click here.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.
Amen. Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Its the wonderful world of Islam… ISIS coming to Western country near you……
The homosexuals have been spending lots of energy persecuting Catholics. I bet when the Muslims start coming for them they will expect Catholics to shelter them.
Muslims do persecute gay people. If you had the compassion of Christ you wouldn’t say the ridiculous things you say. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/gay-saudi-arabian-man-sentenced-to-three-years-and-450-lashes-for-meeting-men-via-twitter-9628204.html
Well I did say that Muslims persecute homosexuals. It is in the comment right above yours for everyone to see. So you agree with something that I say and then you go on to say that if I had the compassion of Christ I wouldn’t say the ridiculous things that I say. You just love to bash me don’t you! If I said that the Sun is bright you would use that occasion to attack me.
Ski Ven,
“REJOICE! when they attack you and revile you in My Name, for yours shall be the Kingdom of Heaven!”
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Dear Ski Ven, You said “when” implying a future event. It is happening now and has been for a long time. If you honestly meant to say that it is hapenning now, and wondered honestly whether catholics would come to their aid when it happens, then you where is your evidence that we would be so foolish as to ask catholics to help, or that they have provided help already?? If I misunderstand you im sorry, but I think you were putting this into the future.
Oh please. I was talking a place were homosexuals have the power to persecute Catholics. That definitely excludes the Middle East, where western homosexual lobby groups have no political power and Muslims run almost every nation. In this country, homosexuals have plenty of political power and Catholics are just punching bags. Muslims have not acquired any significant political power in this country, yet. Homosexuals can get someone fired for believing in the divinely instituted definition of Marriage. Homosexuals use discrimination lawsuits to give businesses the choice to either promote sodomy or perish. They target businesses whose owners’ beliefs are similar to the Catholic Church’s beliefs. They can use discrimination lawsuits to force religious schools to hire people who contradict that school’s teachings. The public schools are used to promote homosexual propaganda in which Christian beliefs are called bigoted and hateful. The end result is Catholics are increasingly becoming excluded from participating in the economy which is something that homosexuals say they don’t want to be done to them. Homosexuals don’t mind doing it to others. This is a good time for them to make a power grab, and people have a natural tendency to lust after power and wield it against their enemies. Muslims have more children than homosexuals and they believe in conquest. Eventually they will have enough numbers to make their own power grab, and they won’t be constrained by Christian beliefs from doing whatever they have to do to win.
Actually Muslims are notorious for their homosexuality. Google “bacha bazi”. That’s why Muslims would work so well alongside sodomites as the two riders of the Pale Horse of the Apocalypse: Death and Hades (Rev. 6:7-8).
Juergensen, an old associate of mine worked in the Saudi kingdom for years, he told me the homosexuality there was rampant. The sexes are so segregated that the men could not control themselves and were always seeking ways to hook up with each other. I believe Muslim men try to control their women because they are terrified of them and the power a woman can have over a man.
Why would I be talking about Muslims coming for homosexuals, if I was trying to deny that Muslims persecute homosexuals? hhhmmmmnnnn? Such a statement is based upon the premise that Muslims don’t like homosexuals. Go ahead, bash away, YFC.
And being Catholics, we will, Ski, assuming the Left has left us enough property in which to conceal them.
Tom, the point that I was trying to make is if we get wiped out, then we can not come to the aid of others. Sorry that I didn’t make my point clear.
Please have some respect for the deceased and stop bickering about this.
I can’t help it if someone wants to bash away at me.
Ski Ven I agree with you. God bless you and protect you for your conviction in Christ.
The beheading of Jim Foley should give everyone pause, and outrage. And, where is the international outrage?? Where?? And, where is the Catholic Church?? Where?? Off planning a likely disastrous October Synod, that’s where, or planning what highly successful Catholic Traditional group, order, or parish might next be attacked. These things are all related folks, at least for those that believe. I wonder what the good Cardinal Dolan is going, and saying, right now? How about the USCCB? Or the Vatican? The only difference between Hitler and ISIS is that the Germans were smarter and more advanced, technologically. Their views were the same — first, let’s kill as many Jews as we can, then the rest. Satan never sleeps, and does not need to anyway, as the lights are off in most formerly faithful Catholic places of worship. Good to see the news about the Diocese of Stockton getting behind solar power, though.
https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/08/21/Netanyahu-tells-the-world-that-ISIS-and-Hamas-are-part-of-the-same-evil-We-face-the-same-savagery
Netanyahu certainly understands the savagery of Islam and ISIS and does something about it. They’re the only country on the planet that seems to understand what is at stake and who the enemy is…as they continue to build more mosques and set up outposts throughout the world like connect the dots puzzles, we’re inundated and distracted with bogus racial riots and government sponsored illegal immigration crisies. Obama is fighting his own “golf” war and doesn’t have time for family squabbles and Cameron cut his vacation short as the Neanderthal with the knife that beheaded an innocent American is likely a Brit! Where is a Ronald Reagan for these times? God help us!
St. Christopher,
The international community condemned it. The Pope called his parents in the midst of his own personal grief.
Have you read Instrumentum Laboris?
If you really believe what you say, why aren’t you preparing instead of complaining?
What would you expect to be happening?
“Anonymous”: One of us is living in a dream world. The world at large, including the Vatican have said little, and done nothing, about ISIS. It is through military force alone, focused on killing the Muslims involved that will solve this. And much, much more needs to be done regarding Muslims throughout the world, including constraining their future abilities to wreck havoc on free nations, as the Hamas are doing against Israel. But, you have me on one point — what is your point regarding Instrumentum Laboris? This document concerns the family, and related relationships and was prepared for the October Synod (a sure disaster in the making). You know, the Pope, and President Golfer can say bad things all they want about ISIS, but something concrete needs to be done. And, beyond this, the issue of the place for an aggressive, hostile, violent, anti-woman religion must also be addressed by all nations. (Editors — please do not edit this type of comment out of the blogs.)
St. Christopher,
“The world’s response to the brutal execution was one of revulsion and anger. World leaders both political and religious harshly denounced the Islamic State, calling for an end to the violence and asserting that the jihadist group did not represent any religion.”
I thought that you had not read Instrumentum Laboris because you have made reference to the October Synod as if you did not really know what it is about. I encourage you to read it.
Please pray for the conversion of all those who are involved in ISIS and for safety for all those in harm’s way.
Scripture scholars are open to the view that Muslims and sodomites are the two riders of the Pale Horse of the Apocalypse: Death and Hades (Rev. 6:7-8). Once Muslims take control of the East and sodomites take control of the West – both nearing completion – these two minions of Satan will turn their wrath against each other and conflagrate the earth, bringing the Apocalypse, whereupon the Son of Man “shall cast them into a furnace of fire, where there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13:42).
The power of prayer gave Jim peace. Thank you Lord.
Yes SandraD, its good to know that our Lord gave Him comfort during this horrible time. I can only imagine what his poor mum is feeling now. My heart goes out to his family and prayers for him too. May he rest in Peace, God bless and give much comfort to his family.
JMJ
If Foley stayed close to Her, Our Blessed Mother has certainly taken care of him! The pain he may have gone through (we don’t yet know if they did their favorite trick by using a dull knife) is nothing compared to his Eternal Reward!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
It certainly sounds as if he was faithful in the end. May James Foley, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. It certainly does show how a mother’s and grandmother’s prayers can affect and save ones soul from eternal death. God bless and support his family.
Remember Muslims want to kill us or convert us! To understand Islam read the Quran it tells you this in plain words. And by the way Homosexuality is and has been rampant in Islamic societies for hundreds of years. Yes they hate homosexuals yet they practice it clandestinely because they consider it not cheating on their wife’s, strange as it sounds but very true.