Jacques Hamel: The friendship that unites the sister of the priest and the mother of the murderer

Roseline Hamel is the sister of Fr. Jacques Hamel, 86 -year -old priest who was killed by two jihadists in July 2016 in France. In a recent event in Rome, within the framework of the Jubilee of Communications, he shared his story of friendship, forgiveness and hope with the mother of one of the murderers.

“In a world that falls apart everywhere”, where many succumb to the evil “for convenience”, there are still men and women of faith who testify to “goodness and love above all,” Roseline said in the San Luis Church of the French in Rome on January 25, according to the Vatican Agency Fides.

The 84 -year -old woman also stressed that her brother “had started working in the interreligious dialogue with the Muslim community six years before her murder. To understand ourselves we must know each other, and to know each other we must talk to us, despite the differences that can be intimidated. ”

“We will not fear others if we know them, to them and their differences. Sharing our joys and our sorrows, not to unite, but first of all to understand us. We are all human beings, “” We are all brothers, children of the same father, “he added.

For Roseline, his brother’s life is “the memory of his life delivered to the end in faith in Christ, and attests that in France and throughout the world, forgiveness is a force of peace and hope.”

Forgiveness and friendship between Fr. Hamel’s sister and the mother of one of the murderers

A few weeks after his brother’s death, Roseline had to be operated at strong pains he suffered. He wanted to look for Adel Kermiche’s mother, a 19 -year -old boy and one of his brother’s murderers.

As noted RCF RadioThey spoke first on the phone and then they found themselves. “Forgiveness” was the first word that N. Kermiche pronounced when he saw Father Hamel’s sister, in a meeting held in the presence of Mons. Dominique Lebrun, Archbishop of Rouen, who also wanted to meet her.

“I didn’t come to look for forgiveness,” Roseline Hamel replied, “but to suggest that we handle our pain together.” The two cried embraced. “It’s been waiting for you for a long time,” said N. Kermiche.

“This link that I share with Mrs. Kermiche is very strong. We try to support each other because we both are victims of terrorism. ” This is something that “makes us advance, it assures us that there are still people who work for peace,” Roseline added.

The murder of Fr. Jacques Hamel

On July 26, 2016, two young terrorists from the Islamic State broke into the church of Saint Etienne du Rouvray, in Rouen, France, and murdered Fr. Jacques Hamel, 86, while celebrating Mass.

To the shout of “Allahu Akbar”, (“God is great”, in Arabic), the murderers entered the church and began to destroy religious images. The priest tried to prevent him but could not. The terrorists wanted to force him to get on his knees but he refused.

One of the murderers stabbed him and Father Hamel shouted: “Get, Satan!” They were his last words since he was later slaughtered.

At the Mass held at the Santa Marta house on September 14, 2016, Pope Francis assured that Father Hamel “is a martyr, and the martyrs are blessed. We have to pray.”

The cause of beatification of Fr. Jacques Hamel

The cause of beatification of Father Jacques Hamel, announced on April 13, 2017 officially began on May 20 of that year

The diocesan phase of the cause ended on March 9, 2019 in the Notre Dame de l’Anenciation chapel, of the Archbishopric of Rouen.

At that stage 66 audiences were held, in which the five witnesses of the murder were heard, 51 witnesses cited: brothers, friends, parishioners and priests; and five witnesses ex officio.