Often, the jihadists who were behind his kidnapping tried to talk Fr. Maccalli into abandoning Christianity and when they failed, they told him he was destined for hell, he recalls in the interview.
He also recalled, in the interview, how, one day when the jihadists allowed him to listen to the radio, he was overjoyed to follow Pope Francis’ Homily.
“I put my ear closer and tuned the radio better, and I found myself at the beginning of the Pentecost Day Mass in communion with the Pope, the Church and the world. I said to myself, today I am in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and at the same time I am on a mission in Africa,” he recalled, recounting what he describes as one of the most emotional experiences during his two-year captivity.
Fr. Maccalli said that in the November 9 meeting he had asked the Holy Father to keep the Catholic Church in Niger in his prayers and that the Pope listened very attentively.
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The missionary said he also thanked Pope Francis for his prayers, together with those of the Church, for his liberation.
According to the Italian Cleric, Pope Francis replied by saying that the Church had supported him, but he too had supported the Church.
“I had no words in the face of his; me, a little missionary and he who said this to me... I really have no words,” the priest said.
In a report shared with ACI Africa, the SMA Priest returned to his home in Crema, Italy, where his family awaited him.
His sister, Clementina Maccalli told InBlu Radio at the time of her brother’s release, “We are living an immense joy and a great happiness. After a long time waiting, I can finally hug him again.”
“His mission is to take the Gospel where it is not yet known,” she said, adding that, during his kidnapping, “hope has never failed. We have a lot of faith and this has helped us.”
Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.