Pope Francis has called the parents of James Foley, the American journalist who was killed by the Islamic State (ISIS).
In an email to ZENIT, Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi confirmed that the Holy Father telephoned John and Diane Foley. Although no details were given as to what was said in the conversation, Fr. Lombardi confirmed that the “call took place [on Thursday] evening.
The world was horrified as a video surfaced of the journalist’s beheading at the hands of a terrorist from the Islamic State. According to the video, the murder was in retaliation to recent military action taken against ISIS.
ISIS currently has one known journalist, Steven Sotloff, still hostage and have threatened to murder him depending on US President Barack Obama’s next move.
During a press conference on his return flight from South Korea, Pope Francis emphasized that while an unjust aggressor, like ISIS, must be stopped, it must take a united effort among nations.
“One nation alone cannot judge how to stop an unjust aggressor,” he said. “After the Second World War there was the idea of the United Nations. It is there that this should be discussed. Is there an unjust aggressor? It would seem there is. How do we stop him? Only that, nothing more.”
