A SISTER of Fr Michael Sinnott spoke last night of her fear during his 32-day kidnap ordeal that she might never see the elderly cleric alive again. Almost five weeks after being taken by an armed gang from his Columban order's compound in Pagadian city in the Philippines, Fr Sinnott (79) was yesterday recovering in a medical centre in Manila after being released on Wednesday.
However, the freed priest, who has a heart condition, revealed he intended to stay on in the Philippines to continue his missionary work.
The homecoming plans in his native Wexford may have to be put on hold until next year as family members believe the publicity-shy priest may decide not to return until then.
Aine Kenny spoke to Fr Sinnott -- known to family and friends as Fr Mal -- on Wednesday night, shortly after her brother's release.
"I asked him, 'How are you?' He said, 'I'm grand, I'm grand. I'm back again now and I'm grand.' He was in great form. He sounded just the same as Mal always sounded. There was no difference, Mal always took things on the chin," she said.
While aware of Fr Sinnott's mental strength and courage, Mrs Kenny admitted last night that she feared the worst at times during the last five weeks.
"We thought we would never see him," she said. "We couldn't believe it last night."
After his release, Fr Sinnott, who endured "primitive" conditions, sleeping in a hammock, unveiled his determination to remain and work in the country.
"I don't know what my superiors will have to say about that but that is my own wish." said.
Despite his ordeal, Fr Sinnott said he remained in perfect health throughout his 32 days in captivity and never suffered a cold or any sort of complaint.
He was also assured by his captors that he would not be killed. The priest expressed no bitterness towards his captors when he spoke to the media yesterday morning.
After he was greeted at a Manila airport by Filipino president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the missionary joked that he would not be a target again.
"Because I am a bit old and I found hiking a bit difficult at times, I think that they'd be glad to kidnap a younger man next time," he said.
Fr Sinnott contacted relatives yesterday and some said they might not see him until next summer. "His heart is over there," niece Mary O'Keeffe said. "He loves us as well, but his heart is over there! I'd say he just really wants to get back to Pagadian as soon as he can."
Fr Sinnott said the kidnappers were "quite rough" as they manhandled him into a small pick-up truck.
"But after that they couldn't have done more to make it easier for me in the conditions in which we were living," he said.
Ransom
"A number of them interrogated me about my financial circumstances and they said did I understand why I was kidnapped. I said, 'I presume it's for ransom,' and they said, 'yes.'"
During the first 10 days, he endured cramped conditions, surrounded by stagnant black water and black mud and was without his heart medication.
"Then they asked me to prioritise the drugs that I needed and I wrote out the five heart drugs that I have," he said.
"It's only since I came out that I heard of ... the number of people who were praying and I'd certainly like to thank them most sincerely. It must have been their prayers that kept me going."
Another niece, Aine O'Meara said that her uncle's "great faith" would have got him through.
Fr Sinnott was most recently home in Clonard in Wexford last summer.
Parish priest of Clonard Fr Denis Lennon described his friend yesterday as an "extremely spiritual man" who had the mental strength and deep-rooted faith to get through the weeks of captivity.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to us or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
SIC: II