A video purporting to show the kidnapped missionary priest from India, Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, was uploaded to Youtube on Christmas Day, supposedly by the same ISIS terrorists who took him hostage from Aden Care Home (in Yemen) this past March.

The video shows a frail man, who, the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia - the Catholic Church's offical organisational structure in UAE, Oman and Yemen - says, "bear[s] a close likeness to Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil".

Assuming that the man is, indeed, Fr. Tom, this is the first communication received from him, since his abduction in March, and, therefore, a wonderful Christmas gift.

But, he clearly needs attention. And, help from influential regional and global players could help secure his release.

To even have made it to this point is miraculous, especially given the fact that the ISIS henchmen brutally murdered 4 Catholic nuns on the same day that he was abducted. In fact, the one nun who survived the attack by hiding in a walk-in freezer, believes that the regularity of their lives, and faithfulness to prayer and to the people they ministered to in the Aden Care Home, allowed the terrorists to know exactly when to strike.

Please read more about their harrowing story by clicking on the link below, but be forewarned that Sr. Mary Sally - the surviving nun - does not leave the details to the imagination.

Suffice it to say that the ISIS men who committed these atrocities were hell-bent on eliminating any vestige of respect for Christianity, even extending to the absolutely disgraceful treatment of the remains of the nuns.

In new the video, the man purporting to be Fr. Tom says that his abductors have tried several times to contact Church and civil authorities, to no avail. He begs for his home country of India to do more to secure his release.

But, being a captive, he is not able to know about all of the efforts being made to liberate him. In fact, on seeing the new video, the External Affairs Minister of India, Ms. Sushma Swaraj, stated that India, "will spare no effort to secure Father Tom's release from captivity".

And, of course, Church officials have also been busily working publicly, as well as behind the scenes, to help free Fr. Tom. Pope Francis made an appeal for his release just after the attack, and many prayers and other spiritual entreaties have been made for his safe return.

At this point, in addition to the sustained prayers of the Christian faithful, a joint effort by three of the most influential nations on Earth - the United States, India and Saudi Arabia - is now required.

Certainly, Saudi Arabia has a lot of sway among its regional neighbours, but relies on the goodwill of the United States and India who continue to purchase its commodities on the open market. Of course, goodwill is a free gift and can be revoked when not reciprocated.

Perhaps, the incoming American administration will better understand the economic leverage it can use to effect the freedom of captives, and generally try to maintain regional harmony.

Therefore, this petition is directed to the President-Elect of the US, the Prime Minister of India, and the King of Saudi Arabia, asking that their governments work together to bring about a happy resolution to this case.

There has already been enough blood shed by innocent people in this situation. Thank you for helping to seek the release of Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, before any further blood is spilt.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

http://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/kidnapped-priest-begs-for-his-life

http://avosa.org/news/statement-on-video-claiming-to-show-fr-tom-uzhunnalil

Statement by the nun who survived the ISIS attack in which Fr. Tom was abducted. WARNING - it contains graphic depictions of the attack on Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil and the Missionaries of Charity (the nuns) - https://aleteiaen.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/yemenmartyrsmissionariesofcharity3-4-16-21.pdf