Catholic priest stabbed during televised mass in Canada

A woman talks to the media at the scene where a Catholic priest was stabbed as he was celebrating morning mass at the St. Joesph's Oratory in Montreal on Friday, March 22, 2019 (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

A Catholic priest was stabbed several times while leading mass on Friday morning in Montreal.

Rev. Claude Grou, the rector at St. Joseph's Oratory, had just finished a reading around 8:40 am when a man rushed towards him with a knife and stabbed him in his upper body.

The attack at the landmark church was captured on a livestream and television, as the mass was being broadcast to the Catholic channel Salt + Light.

A suspect has already been taken into custody and will be questioned by investigators later today, according to CBC.

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Footage from the incident shows a tall man wearing a white baseball cap approach the altar and stab Grou as he falls to the ground. Security and what appears to be other members of the parrish then step forward, encircling the attacker, who stands with his hands at his sides. Grou quickly stood up and didn't appear in pain.

Grou suffered only superficial wounds and is expected to make a full recovery. The diocese of Montreal tweeted that he was in stable condition, and that "all of our prayers are with him."

Montreal's mayor, Valerie Plante, condemned the act of violence.

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"I am relieved to learn that the life of Father Claude Grou, Rector of the [Oratory] is out of danger and that his condition is stable," she tweeted in French. "On behalf of all Montrealers, I wish him speedy recovery."