Exactly one week after he was stabbed at St. Joseph's Oratory, Father Claude Grou returned to morning mass.
About a hundred people were in the pews, applauding, as Grou entered Friday morning.
Grou thanked his parishoners shortly after mass began at 8:30 a.m., expressing wishes that the Oratory remain a "place of peace."
"My health is good, I'm recovering very well," he said. "I am well surrounded by people who help me also to feel strong and to continue to discover the importance of what we do together."
"The Oratory is a place where people are always welcomed - where people come and meet each other, and in their prayer, meet the Lord," Grou added. "We want to keep this spirit of openness alive while respecting the need of having a well-organized program of security so that people can feel safe."
Last week, shortly after morning mass began, 26-year-old Vlad Christian Eremia charged the priest and stabbed him.
After he was charged with attempted murder, Eremia was ordered to undergo a psychiatric assessment at the Pinel Institute.
Grou, 77, sustained minor injuries during the incident, which was streamed live online.
When asked how he feels about the man who attacked him, Grou told reporters he's convinced Eremia did not have any personal feelings towards him.
"This is someone, from what we heard, who has problems with his health," Grou explained. "I have no rancor towards this person - I'm going to keep him in my prayers, because this is someone in need of support and prayer."
