We awoke to the news this morning that Father Luigi Maccalli SMA who was kidnapped in the early hours of the morning on 15 September 2018, from his home in Bomoanga, Niger.
We, the OLA sisters, are delighted to be able to share this news and are very happy for Fr Luigi’s family and our SMA friends.
Father Luigi was released yesterday afternoon in Mali at the same time as Franciscan Sister Gloria Narváez who was kidnapped on 7 February 2017 in Karangasso, near Koutiala, in southern Mali, near the border with Burkina Faso, where she had been working as a missionary for six years.
We wish them well on their road to recovery form their ordeals and give thanks to God for answered prayers.
Official statement from the Superior General of the Society of African Missions
Today Oct 8, 2020 around 10 pm in Rome we received the news of the liberation of our confrere Fr. Luigi Maccalli who had been kidnapped in Niger on September 17, 2018. Fr. Luigi has been freed with the malian politician Soumaila Cisse, Mrs. Sophie Petromin a french social worker, and another Italian named Nicola Chiacchio.
The joy of the whole SMA family is great and our gratitude to the Lord is even greater.
We rejoice with the Maccalli family, with Fr. Walter Maccalli our confrere and brother of Fr. Luigi, and all those who were concerned, prayed and contributed in one way or the other for the liberation of Fr. Luigi especially the entire diocese of Crema with its Bishop at the head.
We thank in a very special way the Italian foreign office and the crisis management Unit that supported the family during the last two years and worked discretely and efficiently for the liberation.
We continue to pray for the other hostages who are still in the hands of the kidnappers. We pray for the numerous victims of this blind violence that is hitting hard the Sahel especially those who were attacked in Burkina Faso recently.
May God bless and guide all those who work for peace, justice, and reconciliation.
Fr. Antonio Porcellato
Superior General of the Society of African Missions