Church in Mali Offers Prayers for Release of Colombian Nun Kidnapped Three Years Ago

The attackers took four computers and the ambulance from the dispensary, which they later abandoned 5 km from the parish and continued their journey on a motorbike towards Koury, near the border with Burkina Faso.

On December 13, 2017, the General Directorate of State Security (DGSE), a unit of Mali's security services, announced the arrest of four "suspected terrorists" involved in the kidnapping of Sr. Gloria.

An emergency plan of action had been put in place by the Episcopal Conference of Mali since 2018 in order to disseminate a message to all the media organs throughout the West African nation, advocating for the release of Sr Gloria.

In January 2019, a video message from Sr. Gloria, reportedly created by two local Al Qaeda-linked terrorist organizations, appeals for the help of Pope Francis to secure her release, Catholic News Agency reported.

According to Al Akhbar agency that published the contents of the video, the video recording, not released, was 4:44 minutes and in it, “the Colombian hostage pleads with the Pope of the Vatican to intervene to free her.”

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The video was meant to prove that Sr. Gloria, kidnapped at the age of 55, is still alive.

General Fernando Murillo, a Colombian detective in charge of the investigation, announced in January 2019 that the Holy See will mediate for her release.

“The Pope is aware of what Colombia is doing and to what point we've come to obtain her release,” the General was quoted as saying and added that the Colombian police were in contact with the Catholic Church in Mali to expedite negotiations for Sr. Gloria’s release.

The General also disclosed that the abduction had been done for ransom purposes and that did not know the exact amount that the kidnappers were asking for the release of the nun.

He further expressed concern about the nun's health saying, “She is alive but her state of health is not good. She has problems with her leg and her kidney.”

At the end of the video, the abductors were reportedly proposing “to negotiate through independent charitable organizations outside the colonialist force.”

With her Colombian founded religious congregation administering a large health center in Mali and a home where some 30 young orphans are attended to, Sr. Gloria had served in the West African nation for 12 years at the time of her abduction.