London: Priest calls for 'tough love' after teenager is killed by gang

Hani Abou El Kheir

A London parish priest has urged people to speak out, and demonstrate 'tough love' after a teenager was stabbed to death in the street by a gang last Sunday. Hani Abou El Kheir, 16, died after he was attacked by up to ten youths in Lupus Street, Pimlico, just minutes from Holy Apostles Catholic Church.

During his homily at the weekend Masses, Canon Pat Browne said: "Last Sunday night the streets of Pimlico were the killing ground of a mob. A young boy of 16 with his whole life there before him waiting to be lived, was struck down by a pack of thugs behaving like animals. He is now dead. They didn’t just kill him. They hacked him to death. His mother Pauline has lost her only son, her only child. Life will never be the same again for her. And her son has no life."

Fr Browne said: "But there are others out there, some mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and so-called friends who know the people that were part of this.... If you know, speak out now in these days – or forever live with the fact that you colluded and covered up for a murder. Maybe the courts won’t find you out - but one day before God you will have to answer for it.

He concluded: " ..I don’t imagine those who need to hear this are in church to hear it. But I urge those of you who are to talk about what I am saying and report it around the area. Enough is enough. Parents have to take responsibility for their children.

"Love is not about letting children do what they want or covering up for them when they do wrong. Facing the truth and helping them to do so, no matter how hard it is, that is what real love is."

Holy Apostles is part of the CitySafe initiative run by London Citizens, which encourages a network of local shops and businesses to monitor activities in the area, and offer 'Safe Havens' to people in danger of crime. Holy Apostles Parish Pastoral Co-Ordinator, Judy Masters said: "Many shops on Lupus Street are part of the scheme now. It is tragedy that he ran in the opposite direction - to where there were no shops."

To read the full homily text see:

The 2nd Reading today is St Paul’s beautiful description of Love and many couples choose it for their wedding.

But love is not always romantic. Sometimes it can be challenging. We talk about tough love. This is the sort of love that tells the truth to the beloved even if that truth is hard to hear. Only your true friends and members of the family will tell you what is the real truth about you – especially when you don’t want to hear it.

When I was a child the reading say, I thought like a child…Now I am a man. I have to grow up and live love in a way that has to do with the truth of things.

I saw an example of this in the film I went to last night – FLIGHT starring Denzel Washington. He is a pilot and a very good one. He landed a plane with 102 people on board. Only six of them died. In the enquiry afterwards 10 other pilots tried to land a similar plane in similar weather on a simulator and all of them crashed it killing everyone on board. But he is an alcoholic and won’t face this fact about himself. His so-called friends even supply him with cocaine on top of his alcohol addiction. His real friends – wife, son, lover, try to make him stop. They tell him the truth about himself, risk their relationship with him and as a consequence lose him for years – till he cops on to himself!

Do you remember during the London riots a few years ago the mother who discovered her daughter had been one of the rioters? She brought her round to the police station and handed her in. What a difficult thing for a mother to do. But not to have done it would make her a colluder in the act and would have allowed her daughter to avoid facing the consequences of what she had been a part of and caused. This is love – tough, yes, but real love. Having handed her in. This mother I hope, was there for her daughter then to help her through the process that she must go through. The courts, punishment, but also the opportunity to start again fresh.

Last Sunday night the streets of Pimlico were the killing ground of a mob. A young boy of 16 with his whole life there before him waiting to be lived, was struck down by a pack of thugs behaving like animals. He is now dead. They didn’t just kill him. They hacked him to death. His mother Pauline has lost her only son, her only child. Life will never be the same again for her. And her son has no life.

Parents in Pimlico hold their sons and daughters closer to themselves and their homes through fear and the awful thought that this could have been their child out on Lupus St that last week. Now more than ever they will check where their children are, accompany them when going out and not let them do as they will.

But there are others out there, some mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and so-called friends who know the people that were part of this. They must speak now or forever know that they are protecting a murderer. Not to speak out is to collude and indeed facilitate what those responsible have done. This needs them to exercise tough love. To name the culprits who have committed the crime.

Yes, they may lose a relationship with their child for a time – till he or she owns what they have done and begs forgiveness. But Pauline has lost not the relationship with her child. She has lost her child. If you know, speak out now in these days – or forever live with the fact that you colluded and covered up for a murder. Maybe the courts won’t find you out - but one day before God you will have to answer for it.

I don’t imagine those who need to hear this are in church to hear it. But I urge those of you who are to talk about what I am saying and report it around the area. Enough is enough. Parents have to take responsibility for their children.

Love is not about letting children do what they want or covering up for them when they do wrong. Facing the truth and helping them to do so, no matter how hard it is, that is what real love is.

To see a BBC report go to: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21308487

Visit Holy Apostles webcam here: www.mcnmedia.tv/livecamdisplay.asp?CamID=89