Priest stabbed during morning mass at Montreal’s Saint Joseph’s Oratory
Man arrested and the priest was taken away by ambulance with minor injuries
A priest at Montreal’s renowned Saint Joseph’s Oratory was stabbed in the chest Friday while delivering morning mass, shocking parishioners at the service and those watching a live stream of the service from home.
The suspect was quickly wrestled to the floor by security guards after stabbing Father Claude Grou, rector of the oratory. The priest was taken away by ambulance with minor injuries to his upper body.
“I saw this man coming quickly and taking his knife out and going straight for Père Grou,” recounted Adèle Plamondon, who was just finishing the day’s reading when the man rose from the pew.
“It was obvious what his intentions were. So, I left screaming to alert the security.”
Afterward, she saw the man on the floor being restrained. The attack was captured on a live stream and television broadcast by the Catholic channel Salt + Light.
Father Claude Grou, seen here in an earlier interview, was about to proclaim the gospel to about 60 people gathered in the church when a man stood up from one of the pews, walked behind the altar and stabbed him twice, according to witnesses. (CBC)
She said she spoke to Grou before he was taken to hospital. He was slashed twice and was in shock but seemed to be OK otherwise, Plamondon said.
She said the priest’s wounds were superficial because the knife broke.
Philip Barrett, who was attending the mass along with about 60 people, said the priest was behind the altar, getting ready to proclaim the gospel, when a tall man stood up from one of the pews and started walking forward.
“He walked past the barrier leading into the sanctuary near the altar, and everyone was just initially wondering what was going on, and some people were starting to react a little bit,” he said.
“And he walked directly behind the altar and seemed to strike the priest.”
Both Plamondon and Barrett described the attacker as a tall, slim man who didn’t say anything. Both said they had not seen him at the church before.
Priest transported to hospital by ambulance
A spokesperson for the first responder agency Urgences-Santé, Benoit Garneau, said the victim was conscious while being transported to hospital. Garneau would not say which hospital.
The injury was to the victim’s chest, he said, but he could not say whether or not there was more than one stab wound.
“He was stable when he was transported,” Garneau said.
Montreal police lead the suspect away from Saint Joseph’s Oratory Friday morning. (Submitted by Jean-François Lefebvre)
A 911 call was made at 8:40 a.m., and the suspected attacker was already being held by security when police arrived, Montreal police spokesperson Const. Caroline Chèvrefils.
The man was taken into custody and will be interviewed by investigators later today, she said.
Police said the suspect is 26.
‘I wish him a speedy recovery,’ says mayor
The Montreal diocese issued a tweet saying the priest’s condition was stable and “all of our prayers are with him.”
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says this type of attack has no place in the city.
“I am relieved to learn that the life of Father Claude Grou, rector of the [Oratory], is out of danger and that his condition is stable,” she tweeted.
“On behalf of all Montrealers, I wish him speedy recovery.”
Emergency vehicles are seen outside Saint Joseph’s Oratory on Friday. (Radio-Canada)
By Isaac Olson
Published on the CBC website.
