Jesuit Murdered in Syria: Ignatian Family Mourns
BY ISN STAFF | April 8, 2014
The Ignatian family mourns the loss of Dutch Jesuit Father Frans van der Lugt, who lived in the war-torn Syrian city of Homs, and was killed on Monday, April 7, 2014. According to the Middle East Jesuits, Father van der Lugt was abducted by armed men who beat him and then killed him with two bullets to the head in front of the Jesuit residence in Homs.
Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J. said Fr. Van der Lugt “died as a man of peace, who with great courage in an extremely dangerous and difficult situation, wanted to remain faithful to the Syrian people to whom he had dedicated so many years of his life and spiritual service. Where people die, their faithful shepherds also die with them. In this time of great sorrow, we express our participation in prayer, but also great pride and gratitude for having had a brother so close to the most suffering in the testimony of the love of Jesus to the end.”
News coverage across the U.S. & the World has included the following:
Jesuit Refugee Service mourns the death of Jesuit Father Frans van der Lugt in Syria (JRS/USA)
Dutch Jesuit, Who Served 50 Years in Syria, Killed in Homs (Jesuits.org)
A Man of Peace: Fr. Frans van der Lugt, SJ (Jesuit Post)
A Brave Soul, A Relentless Spirit (Jesuit Post)
Pope Honors Jesuit Killed in Syria, Prays for End to Violence (Catholic News Service)
Jesuit Fr. Frans Van der Lugt’s brutal murder in Syria mourned by Pope, fellow Jesuit (Vatican Radio)
Pope Francis condemns killing of Jesuit priest in Syria
January 2014 video appeal from Fr. Van de Lugt for international assistance with situation in Syria:
This kinda of Wisdom Makes me want to cry, tears of joy. simply because he can see no one is truly evil even when the rest of the world does… Good to know he hasn’t taken God’s job like every other person. He is surly in the Lords favor, regardless of the name he chose to call “God” For many it’s Buddha others Christ, goddess, Satan and so much more…does that make it wrong when you yourself are no different? Sometimes knowing as much as i do on such matters, I know my life will be hard for good reason but it scares me. God bless you and It’s a bit morbid to say at 19 years old but I hope to meet you there someday.
Not that he died but how he lived— forgot to add that. That’s why i want to cry for joy