Posted on 05/03/2006 5:55:21 AM PDT by Teófilo
Sanctuary desecrated, sacred items stolen
By KATHY MELLOTT The Tribune-Democrat
WILMORE — Burglars broke into one of the oldest churches in the region and desecrated the sanctuary before stealing consecrated hosts, a paten used to hold communion, two chalices and an incense container.
The disturbing break-in occurred at St. Bartholomew’s Roman Catholic Church, which was started in 1840 by Prince Demetrius Gallitzin.
“We consider it a major desecration,” said Rob Egan, spokesman for the Altoona-Johnstown Catholic Diocese. The crimes included vandalism along with the theft of the blessed items.
The Rev. Charles Bodziak, who also serves a parish in Cassandra, and one of the altar servers discovered the break-in, which probably occurred between 8:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday morning, Egan said.
Because of the sacrilege, Mass will not be held at the church until a reparation service has been held by Bishop Joseph Adamec, Egan said. A date for that service has not been scheduled.
The church serves 122 families.
Summerhill Township police think the thief got into the building by prying open locked double-metal doors at the rear of the church. The church is along a side road on top of a hill overlooking the borough of Wilmore.
There were no leads as of late Tuesday and the investigation is continuing, said Kelly Sanders, Summerhill Township assistant police chief.
The state police crime lab in Greensburg helped process the scene.
Parishioners – including Pauline Minor, Betty Skrout and Carrie Dell – dropped by the church Tuesday after word of the burglary spread.
“This feels worse than if they would break into your home,” said Skrout, a parishioner at the church for the past 47 years.
For Minor, the church’s director of religious education, the crime could not have come at a worse time. First Holy Communion is scheduled for Sunday, a Mass she was forced to delay until the bishop can come in for the reparation service.
Dell, who has been a St. Bartholomew member for nearly 50 years, said the burglary is reflective of today’s troubled society.
“It’s a terrible world out there,” she said as she surveyed the destruction, including the damaged tabernacle.
Caretaker Ray Schrift said the destruction and stolen items fail to make much sense.
“It’s weird. There’s valuable stuff that they left. Whoever did it knew where the church was and how to get it,” he said, speculating that the crime was more than a random act by someone passing by.
While burglary in general is difficult to deal with, especially hard is vandalism and destruction at a church, officials said.
“It’s a desecration of a church. It’s something we hold sacred: Consecrated hosts were taken,” Egan said.
Roman Catholics believe the consecrated host to be the body of Christ.
“A place of worship has been violated,” Egan said.
I guess the Stalinist liberals are those who did this.
I hear you. I just feel some things are left to God and his hands. Yes, it makes me sick to think that these cretins took consecrated host and desecrated the church but God will prevail, not Lucifer or his minions. I choose not to mock Lucifer, but ignore him and place my will in God.
Indeed he is risen!
The cultural atmosphere is that people who believe in and try to be faithful to God are wrong, stupid, untrustworthy, fanatic and actually downright evil.
How many people working in the MSM believe in God? How many "entertainment" industry people believe in God? How many people educating (and I use that term loosely) our children believe in God? How many actual regular people do?
And by "God" I mean a transcendent, objective Reality, not something subject to one's whims and opinion.
Agreed. God is not touched by any actions of man, other than spiritual sadness at our rebellion.
Anything in the news about a hate crime? Oops, sorry I asked. I could lose my job and go to jail for asking that.
This crime sure doesn't sound like a group of immature teenagers out for a thrill. Specifically taking the host while leaving the tabernacle is indicitive of that.
If and when they ever catch the perp, it will be interesting to hear their explination of why they took the specific items they did. And yes, I'm considering Satanism as a good possibility.
May the parishners of this parish find a new home to celebrate the Mass of our Lord until their faith community is restored.
Yes, imho only Satanists have any 'need' for consecrated hosts, for their Black and unholy worship.
This one, along with the others dealing with the string of abominations, is one of the worst stories I have ever read. Are you a member of the diocese? How quickly will the Bishop move to have a consacration ceremony?
Yes. I don't know yet, but I suspect the purification should take place before next Sunday, so that the Mass schedule may resume.
-Theo
Here is a wonderful history, with photos, of St. Barts, Wilmore. I hope the police department do a full and complete investigation with sufficient resources to catch whoever did this atrocity. It is a HATE CRIME, after all.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacambri/books/StBartsCont.html
Although I do NOT advocate this clearly disgusting display of desecration/theft.... I find it somewhat ironic that the same Catholic church (eg: Cardinal Mahoney) that advocates stealing from me and giving to illegals, is taken aback when someone steals from them.
Saw this in the "Tribune-Demoncrat" this morning. Whereabouts are you? I live in Windber.
Thank you for that beautiful image!
The thieves didn't steal the safe box. What they took away was far more valuable than that, far more valuable than what Cardinal Mohoney will be ever able to "steal" from you.
-Theo
Very, very sad. Why would anyone do that?
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Blessed and praised forevermore be Jesus Who has saved us by His Precious Blood! Amen. Blessed and forevermore be Jesus Who has saved us by His Precious Blood!
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy Beloved Son and my Divine Redeemer, for all those who are lovers of this Treasure of His Blood, and for all those who join with me in adoring and honoring It, and for all those who try to spread devotion to It.
Blessed and exalted be the Blood of Jesus, now and always, and through all eternity. Amen.
Ummmmmm...no. The Father of Lies and Prince of this World is responsible. And yes, many poor souls have put their trust in him. It has always been thus.
Saint Michael, Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. Rebuke him, O God, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince, of the Heavenly Host by the Divine Power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through this world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Mary, Most Holy, and Queen of Heaven, pray for us.
Seems like there is more and more of this.
Bad things brewing.
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