Posted on 04/16/2019 2:53:28 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
The chaplain to the Parisian fire brigade has been hailed as a hero after it was revealed he led efforts to save the priceless holy relics and art stored inside Notre-Dame Cathedral.
The story of Father Jean-Marc Fournier was reported by Christian journalist of French Catholic Television station KTOTV, who revealed the chaplain went into the burning cathedral to retrieve relics and art before they could be damaged by fire and falling debris. Reports state the priest formed a human chain to carry the items away from danger.
Following up that report, the Katholiek Nieuwsblad states Fr. Fournier has a history of Christian mission under dangerous circumstances. The newspaper reports he responded with the fire brigade to the 2015 Bataclan terror attacks in Paris, where Islamist extremists killed 90 with rifles and suicide vests at a rock concert in the city, where he was "quickly on the scene after the attack ... he helped remove the wounded from the hall and prayed with the bodies of the victims."
The priest also served as a chaplain to the French army and survived an ambush in Afghanistan where ten French soldiers were killed.
Television network Sky News reports the remarks of one member of the Paris emergency services who said of the chaplain: "Father Fournier is an absolute hero.
"He showed no fear at all as he made straight for the relics inside the cathedral, and made sure they were saved. He deals with life and death every day, and shows no fear."
And to think that now the priests are out of a job for the next several years.
Anyone taking odds on whether that is the real crown of thorns worn by Christ?
I know there were quite a few “real crosses”, etc.that came forward in the Middle Ages.
Nothing short of miraculous in my eyes. The right man/men at the right time. I am told that the firefighters in France are actually part of the military. So thankful that so much was saved.
I have also been wondering where all the Catholics are going to go on Easter Sunday. There may be other churches, but I would not think that they would have the capacity to handle so many people.
You know wrong.
Some friends of mine were having that same discussion......
Paris is full of Catholic churches. Most of them are close to empty on Sunday. It won’t be a problem.
Just saw your tagline...my Dad had an Olds’ 1967 Delmont 88. I think it was a 455 engine. I learned to drive in that thing. Talk about a boat! The front end had to poke through the garage drywall in order to close the garage door.. :-)
From the National Catholic Register:
As early as Egeria’s day (circa 381), a relic of the True Cross was coveted by Christians, which would lead in years to come to a host of false relics, some the product of outright fraud, others of wishful thinking. Today, it is virtually impossible to distinguish which relics of the cross are genuine, although the relics displayed in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and Rome’s Basilica of the “Holy Cross in Jerusalem” are probably authentic.
Our local talker is reading this now. Amazing info.
I hope that they have Mass in that wonderful plaza. With the altar on the steps.
Reminds me of the clergy who bravely saved St. Paul’s Cathedral during The Blitz.
Believe me, Paris has many Catholic churches. And a lot of them have a beauty unknown to Protestant-style American Catholic churches!
Reminds me of Fr. Mychal Judge, FD NYC Chaplain.
EOW 9/11/01
Amen
If Notre Dame Cathedral had been located in England instead of France it would have just been another one of the Catholic Churchs that are now
Anglican, courtesy of Pope Henry VIII.
Here is relatively short (7:14) video, not office friendly, of Notre Dame organist Olivier Latry improvising for Sunday Mass. Pipework is behind him, shown a bit later.
Again, not office friendly. Lower computer volume.
Olivier Latry Final improvisation of the Sunday Mass - Notre Dame de Paris
[Just saw your tagline...my Dad had an Olds’ 1967 Delmont 88. I think it was a 455 engine. I learned to drive in that thing. Talk about a boat! The front end had to poke through the garage drywall in order to close the garage door.. :-)]
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