Slain journalist James Foley prayed the rosary in captivity...
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.
R.I.P. James Foley.
ReplyDeleteJames Foley is obviously a martyr of the Last Days. Christus Vincit, Christus Regnat, Christus Imperat!
ReplyDeletePrayers for James Foley and his family.
ReplyDeleteFoley Fake
ReplyDelete