Father Adrian Mantykiewicz returns to altar with message of forgiveness

Father Adrian Mantykiewicz returned to celebrate Mass at the Benedictine sisters’ abbey in Jaroslaw, Poland, on Sept. 26, two days after a stabbing attack at the abbey. During the homily, Father Mantykiewicz stated that he, along with Father Marek Pienkowski and Father Stanislaw Zbojniewicz, forgave the attacker. He asked the community to pray for the attacker's conversion.

The Sept. 24 attack involved five people being stabbed. Father Stanislaw Zbojniewicz died from his injuries, while Father Marek Pienkowski remained in serious but stable condition in the hospital as of Sept. 25. Father Mantykiewicz was treated and released from the hospital the same day as the attack.

The suspect is a 31-year-old Ukrainian citizen. Father Mantykiewicz urged people not to blame Ukrainians living in Poland for the crime.