【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2017 年 9月 14 日梵蒂岡訊】 ─ 多默神父獲釋的喜悅，瞬間傳遍世界各地。數以千計的人們，紛紛為這恩賜感謝天主。全球在緊張氣氛籠罩下，多默神父確是帶來了和平與恬靜。剛從馬爾他回來的總會長，立即前去會見這位會士兄弟。
總會長范達民神父親自講述說：「9月13日下午，我懷著喜樂與幸福之情，會見親愛的多默神父兄弟，他現正在梵蒂岡的慈幼會士團體中。我以印度人的方式向他致候，並互相擁抱，作為兄弟友愛之情的記號。
他仍十分消瘦，然而他看來十分平靜、頭腦清晰，內心很是平安。他深切表達對上主及修會的感恩，因為他深深感受到，慈幼家庭一直陪伴著他，為他祈禱，同時還有其他修會會士。
原來他每天都奉獻感恩聖祭，即使沒有餅酒，他向上主獻上他所經歷的，這令我印象難忘。
他視每刻簡樸的生活為天主的恩賜，好像恬靜的睡眠，以及每刻平靜的生活。每天他都以祈禱作開始，與上主交談，為每個人、為教會、為青年奉獻自己。
的確，多默神父信德的見證，令我十分感動。我們一同在慈幼會團體小堂祈禱，並給他進教之佑降福。我主持「祝夜安」，並向他表示，藉我的臨在，有所有慈幼會士兄弟以及全世界的慈幼家庭。
我告訴他，如果他容許的話，我願意把隨身攜帶的慈幼十字架送給他。我滿懷慈愛地把十字聖架交給他，而他充滿感恩地接受，我們一同向聖母詠唱『萬福母皇誦』。
我們也共進簡單的晚餐，是充滿兄弟友愛的時刻。我看到他身裁瘦削，進食緩慢但很順暢。醫生表示他十分瘦弱，然而只要休養得宜，假以時日便能恢復健康。
這實在是多默神父的大日子，他有幸與教宗會面，教宗以慈父般的情懷接見他，教宗這份對我們所有人的感情，充滿著他一貫的純真。
“I have told him that all his Salesian brothers and the worldwide Salesian Family were represented with my presence”
(ANS – Vatican –Vatican City, 14 September 2017) – The joy for the liberation of Fr Tom has quickly spread across the globe. Thousands of people have expressed gratitude to God for this gift. In the midst of a world full of tension, Fr Tom Uzhunnalil is an image of serenity and peace. The Rector Major, just returned from Malta, immediately wanted to meet his Salesian confrere.
The Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, reported directly: “In the afternoon of September 13, I had the joy and the happiness of meeting my beloved brother Fr Tom, now in the Salesian community at the Vatican. I greeted him in the Indian style, and we gave each other a strong hug as a sign of fraternal affection.
He is still thin, but I found him serene, lucid and with a great inner peace. He expressed his deep thanks to the Lord and to the Congregation, for he felt strongly accompanied by the Salesian Family who prayed for him, along with the religious of other congregations.
I was deeply impressed in learning that he celebrated the Eucharist every day, even without bread and wine, offering the Lord what he was going through.
He lived many simple things as a gift of God, like sleeping serenely and living every moment in peace. At the beginning of each new day he continued to pray, speaking with the Lord, offering himself for everyone, for the Church, for the young.
Truly, Fr Tom gave me a testimony of faith that has touched me. We prayed in the Chapel of the Salesian Community and I gave him the blessing of Mary Help of Christians. I offered the ‘good night’ and said to him that with my presence were all his Salesian confreres and the Salesian Family across the globe.
I said him that if he would allow me, I wished to offer him the Salesian Cross I always bring with me. I handed it to him with affection, and he received it with deep gratitude, and we the sang the ‘Hail, Holy Queen’ to our common Mother.
We also shared a very simple dinner. I found that he weighs little, eats slowly but is eating well. The doctors said he was weak, but that it would just be a matter of time and rest and he would be well. It was a moment of great fraternity.
It was a special day, indeed, marked by Fr Tom’s meeting with the Holy Father, who received him with the affection of a father, with the simplicity that characterizes him.” and the affection he has for us all.”