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I was reading our local newspaper this morning and came across this story about a break-in which occurred at the Redemptorist Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ipoh. Apparently, the tabernacle, containing what the news report termed some 'vessels' which I presume are ciboriums, was stolen over the night.Please pray that the tabernacle and the Sacred Hosts contained within are returned un-desecrated. Also keep Rev. Fr. Joseph Stephens, CSsR, the parish priest, and all the parishioners of the Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in your prayers.
Please also pray in reparation for this great sacrilege and for the conversion of those who carried out this crime, that God may forgive them of this grave trespass which they have committed against Him out of greed and presumably, ignorance.
The interior of the Church, showing the tabernacle under the Crucifix can be seen in the image below.
The Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, IpohSacred vessels stolen from church
IPOH: Parishioners attending the early morning mass at the Our Mother of Perpetual Help church here yesterday were shocked to find that its sacred relics were missing.
They believe that thieves had broken into the building and carted away the church’s tabernacle containing its five sacred vessels worth RM5,000.
[Andrew: Another image of the tabernacle, taken from the front]
The church community is now appealing for the return of the items before they end up as scrap metal.
Parish priest Father Joseph Stephen said the theft was discovered at 6am when a church volunteer arrived to prepare for the 6.30am mass.
“The church relics are very sacred to us and our community and we would like to have them back,” he said after lodging a police report here.
According to a church official, the thieves are believed to have gained entry into the church after removing some wooden panels.
A security guard had heard some noise between 2am and 4am but did not spot anything when he went to check.
Father Joseph continued with the morning mass using another set of vessels.
4 comments:
Had the Tabernacle been constructed and fixed in accordance with Canonical norms it would not have been possible for the thieves to have removed it without very substantial effort and destruction of the Altar.
The Tabernacle should be a (steel) safe (which may then be clad in other metals) at least as strong as one would use to hold cash or valuable documents. It should also be fireproof.
The Tabernacle should be bolted through its floor to the Altar (or possibly through its rear to a wall) with multiple bolts into solid masonry so that it cannot be easily jemmied away. There should be no discernable gap between the Tabernacle and the surface to which it is affixed.
The modern practice of putting Tabrnacles on small, flimsy cantilevered shelves instead of the High Altar is to be abhored if only because it fails to protect the Blessed Sacrament from possible desecration like this.
Will certainly pray...
Yup it was indeed sad to note the
Tabernacle was stolen from our church.
Please pray together with us for for tabernacle and the Sacred Hosts contained within to be returned back to the church soon.
There will be a special mass held inrelated to this at the OMPH church at 7.30pm on friday 24th August.
Please pray together with us.
Lord have mercy on all of us.
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