Father Claude Grou of the Congregation of Holy Cross and rector of Saint Joseph’s Oratory was stabbed this morning while celebrating Mass. Here is Archbishop Christian Lépine's statement.

By now, you may have heard that Father Claude Grou of the Congregation of Holy Cross and rector of Saint Joseph’s Oratory was stabbed this morning while celebrating Mass. Father Grou sustained injuries, but by the grace of God, his life is not in danger.

I offer my support to his family, to his congregation and to all the faithful, volunteers and employees at Saint Joseph’s Oratory. Faced with this human drama, my thoughts are also with those who were present at Mass, with the faithful from here and abroad, and all of society, because we are all affected. We are all shocked by this act of violence that has taken place in our city, in a space dedicated to peace.

We know that places of worship of many religions are targets of acts of violence. We must continue to follow the path of peace and love, believing that good will overcome evil through prayer and good works. (ref: letter to the Romans)

I would especially like to recognize the first responders, especially those who courageously protected Father Grou. I thank the police force for their timely response, the ambulance technicians for their diligence, and the support staff for their courage.

I encourage everyone to join in prayer and to remain calm. I encourage all the faithful to continue celebrating their faith as a community in their churches.

Let us pray to St. Joseph and believe in peace.
 

+Christian Lépine
Archbishop of Montreal