Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pastor of Catholic couple killed by Somali pirates praises their faith
cna ^ | February 23, 2011 | Kevin J. Jones

Posted on 02/23/2011 1:55:51 PM PST by NYer

Scott and Jean Adam hand out Bibles as part of their ministry

Santa Monica, Calif., Feb 23, 2011 / 05:51 am (CNA).- A sailing Catholic couple killed by Somali pirates during their global cruise to distribute Bibles was a “wonderful part” of a California Catholic parish, the couple’s pastor said.

Retirees Scott and Jean Adam of Marina del Rey, Calif. had decided to make a difference in the world by bringing Bibles to the “far-flung corners of the earth,” St. Monica Catholic Community pastor Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson said in a Feb. 22 interview.

“Our community believes in helping to form loving disciples who will transform this world,” he explained. Sharing Bibles was the Adams’ way of doing that during the sailing trip they began in 2004.

Their 58-foot sloop, the Quest, had separated from the Blue Water Rally cruise fleet traveling from Australia to the Mediterranean when they were hijacked by 19 Somali pirates in the northwest part of the Indian Ocean off the coast of Oman. The pirates captured the Adams and their friends Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle of Seattle.

Four U.S. naval warships were tailing the captured vessel and Navy officials were engaged in negotiations with two of the pirates on board one of the American naval ships on the morning of Feb. 22.

But those talks were cut short by the sound of gunfire coming from the Quest, which Navy forces quickly boarded and captured. However, they found all four Americans had been wounded fatally.

Msgr. Torgerson said the Adams’ deaths made him feel “great great, loss” and “great pain.”

“They were faith-filled people, people of the Scripture, people of the Eucharist. They were great people of our community,” he told CNA.

Jean, who was a retired dentist and a mother of two, sang in the church choir.

The priest cited St. Paul’s words in the daily readings about receiving the “unfaded crown of glory.”

“They won the crown. I believe with all my heart they are with God today,” he continued, calling eternal life “the gift and blessing of faithful people.”

“I hope that the four of them find that great peace,” he added, urging an end to violence.

In their 2011 travels, the Adams visited Phuket, Thailand; Galle, Sri Lanka; and Cochin, India. They passed out Catholic Bibles from the American Bible Society and New International Version Bibles from the International Bible Society.

On their website they spoke of finding “homes” for their Bibles as a part of “friendship evangelism.”

The yacht was en route to Salalah, Oman when they were captured. Two pirates were killed in the naval engagement and 13 were captured and detained.

Msgr. Torgerson said Catholics can take inspiration from the Adams.

“We want to make sure that each one of us does as they have done: to go about with courage and strength to make a difference in this world,” he said. “They were doing that as retired people. So all ages can go out and make some difference.”

The Adams’ parish has celebrated at least three liturgies for the dead and their families. It will remember the dead “in a very special way” at its Masses this week.


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Ministry/Outreach
KEYWORDS: bible; pirates
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

1 posted on 02/23/2011 1:55:55 PM PST by NYer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: netmilsmom; thefrankbaum; Tax-chick; GregB; saradippity; Berlin_Freeper; Litany; SumProVita; ...
Killed, passing out Bibles.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord
And may perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen.

2 posted on 02/23/2011 1:57:44 PM PST by NYer ("Be kind to every person you meet. For every person is fighting a great battle." St. Ephraim)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
“They won the crown. I believe with all my heart they are with God today,” he continued, calling eternal life “the gift and blessing of faithful people.”

Indeed.

3 posted on 02/23/2011 1:57:56 PM PST by marron
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

God bless the souls of these good Christians.


4 posted on 02/23/2011 1:58:05 PM PST by ZULU (No nation which ever attempted to tolerate Islam, escaped total Islamization.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

Every news report leaves out that these fine folks were passing out bibles. It’s as if there is NO CONNECTION between the bibles and their deaths at the hands of Islamic Somali pirates.


5 posted on 02/23/2011 1:59:01 PM PST by jdsteel (I like the way the words "Palin for President" make progressives apoplectic.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

No group of third world punks would dare harm an American citizen if they had any respect for our country and our government. They know our government is weak and they can do whatever they want and there will be no consequences. I fear for the future of our country.

The story is very touching, the victims were good people.


6 posted on 02/23/2011 2:04:56 PM PST by detective
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: detective

Any feelings I have for the Muslims involved in this are not fit to express in this post - so I won’t.


7 posted on 02/23/2011 2:06:23 PM PST by ZULU (No nation which ever attempted to tolerate Islam, escaped total Islamization.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: NYer
O God of spirits and of all flesh, You have trampled upon death and have abolished the power of the devil, giving life to Your world. Give rest to the souls of Your departed servants Jean and Scott in a place of light, in a place of repose, in a place of refreshment, where there is no pain, sorrow and suffering. As a good and loving God, forgive every sin they have committed in thought, word or deed, for there is no one who lives and does not sin. You alone are without sin. Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your word is truth. For You are the resurrection, the life and the repose of Your departed servants, Christ our God, and to You we give glory, with Your eternal Father and Your allholy, good and life‑giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
8 posted on 02/23/2011 2:07:48 PM PST by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: detective

I fear for the future of our country

I only fear until 2012


9 posted on 02/23/2011 2:08:13 PM PST by Bitsy ( i)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: NYer
You gotta die sometime, and dying while doing what you love is a better way to go than most.
10 posted on 02/23/2011 2:17:20 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum ("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun." -- Barry Soetoro, June 11, 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdsteel

I posted a “Christianity Today” article that included that fact. I don’t recall if it mentioned they were Catholic.


11 posted on 02/23/2011 2:42:19 PM PST by lastchance (Hug your babies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: NYer

God Bless their Souls.


12 posted on 02/23/2011 2:47:46 PM PST by seoul62
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
Isn't that special. I note their stupidity.
13 posted on 02/23/2011 2:47:59 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ ( "Hokahey, today is a good day to die!" Crazy Horse, Lakota Sioux)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mad_as_he$$

For what? Sailing to Oman instead of stopping in Cochin?


14 posted on 02/23/2011 3:06:36 PM PST by BenKenobi (Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong. - Silent Cal)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: mad_as_he$$

Didn’t take long for a blame-the-victim loser to appear on this post!

Islamic piracy paralyzed trade in the Mediterranean 200 years ago and is the reason that the US Marines exist (think Tripoli).

This was a pirate attack on the open seas; the yachters were not even in Somali waters. They were part of a round-the-world yacht race and had simply diverged to make a side trip. They and the other couple always carried Bibles with them to give to impoverished churches in poor areas where they stopped, and were part of a ministry that did this.

But the pirates had no idea who they were...except that they saw an American flag and realized that meant there would be no consequences for kidnapping these poor people.

Under Obama, we are completely toothless. When the pirates killed this couple, the US Navy was actually “negotiating” with the pirates, two of whom were on board the ship.

So let’s let the entire Indian Ocean get shut down and let’s hand over all international trade to the Muslim pirates. There are over 30 ships and several hundred people already in their hands. They have already made over $300,000,000 in ransom and recently got $9,000,000 for the ransom of one ship. Heck, let them have all international trade and travel. Why not? It’s stupid to defend it. Who needs trade?

I note your stupidity. And I’m sure these four people have already forgiven you for your idiotic comments, because they know that you’re ignorant and you not whereof you speak.


15 posted on 02/23/2011 3:25:29 PM PST by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: mad_as_he$$

please, continuing sharing. Such as which color crayon you use for your notes


16 posted on 02/23/2011 3:28:27 PM PST by Hegewisch Dupa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: lastchance

It did.

And the couple handed out both Catholic bibles and Protestant bibles depending on the situation. Truly ecumenical.


17 posted on 02/23/2011 4:04:43 PM PST by reagandemocrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: BenKenobi
Diverting US Navy resources and putting SEALS in harms way needlessly. There are plenty of places in the world that Bibles can be passed out that are not in the middle of an openly hostile region.
18 posted on 02/23/2011 5:42:07 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ ( "Hokahey, today is a good day to die!" Crazy Horse, Lakota Sioux)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: Hegewisch Dupa
Whew guess you told me!!! Wow I am going to go sulk in a corner. NOT!

These fools were no different than the CBS reporter who was shocked to find that Islam is not peaceful and they kill people. Take your martyr worship elsewhere. The CBS reporter at least managed to get out alive.

20 posted on 02/23/2011 5:53:43 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ ( "Hokahey, today is a good day to die!" Crazy Horse, Lakota Sioux)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson