James Foley Honored With Hometown Mass

Hundreds of people packed a church in Rochester, New Hampshire, yesterday to honor murdered journalist James Foley at a mass in his hometown. At the Catholic church they attend, Foley's parents received a standing ovation after giving thanks for all the support they had received, reports the Wall Street Journal. Others at the service included US Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte, Bishop Peter Libasci, and Gov. Maggie Hassan, who called for flags across the state to be flown at half-staff yesterday, the New York Times reports.

Libasci offered prayers for American journalist Steven Joel Sotloff and other ISIS captives, and praised Foley for returning to cover conflict in the Middle East even after spending 44 days as a captive in Libya in 2011. "Jim went back again that we might open our eyes," the bishop said. "That we might indeed know how precious is this gift. May almighty God grant peace to James and to all our fragile world." After the service, the bishop said people shouldn't be thinking about vengeance after all the "heartbreak" it has already caused, reports the AP, which notes that Foley's funeral will be held on October 18, which would have been his 41st birthday. (British authorities say they have now identified Foley's killer.)