Eucharist taken from Cathedral tabernacle (Corpus Christi, Texas) (Catholic Caucus)

Corpus Christi Caller Times ^ | 7/15/2008 | Elvia Aguilar, Stuart Duncan

[Pyro7480]

The Eucharist was stolen Friday from the tabernacle at Corpus Christi Cathedral on the 500 block of North Upper Broadway, police said.

Corpus Christi Police Lt. Raymond Lara said the Eucharist, the consecrated bread used in Catholic Mass, was taken after someone entered the church through an open door. The exact time of the theft has not been determined and there have been no arrests made in the case, Lara said.

Corpus Christi Cathedral officials would not comment when reached Monday.

[Pyro7480]

The college student, the professor (who reportedly has acquired a consecrated host), and now this.

[magisterium]

Well, they know what they’re doing when it comes to this thought process: “break/open tabernacle, take Host, turn around, run away, commit unspeakable sacrilege with said Host.” But they sure don’t seem to know the eternal consequences! Or, at the very least, they haven’t got a clue that they’re on the “wrong side,” and that the very Book inspired by the self-same Triune God they seek to violate in the Eucharist makes it clear that they will lose out in the end.

[pbear8]

Agreed, but I think they have made their choice and serve their master well. I pray they change before it is too late.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Hmmmm....wonder if it’s somebody responding to PZ Myers’ internet call to kidnap one and send it to him, so he can photograph himself doing naughty things to it?

[NYer]

Thomas Peters at American Papist blog, commented on this yesterday.

---

CNA had good coverage of this outrageous and provocative gesture:

A Minnesota professor and science blogger has said he will personally desecrate the Eucharist and publish photos of the desecration on the internet if any of his readers acquire a consecrated Host and mail it to him. “I’ll show you sacrilege, gladly, and with much fanfare,” he has written.

Paul Zachary Myers, an associate professor of biology at the University of Minnesota at Morris, made the threat while commenting on a University of Central Florida incident in which a student senator stole and held hostage a consecrated Host from a June 29 Mass.

...

Professor Myers criticized the incident in a derisive July 8 post on his science blog Pharyngula, hosted at scienceblogs.com. He also solicited his readers to acquire consecrated Hosts.

“Can anyone out there score me some consecrated communion wafers?” Myers wrote. “…if any of you would be willing to do what it takes to get me some, or even one, and mail it to me, I’ll show you sacrilege, gladly, and with much fanfare. I won’t be tempted to hold it hostage… but will instead treat it with profound disrespect and heinous cracker abuse, all photographed and presented here on the web.”

While Bill Donohue is lodging a complaint against the professor, I'm still disconcerted that I was emailed earlier today with the news that on Friday the Eucharist was stolen from Corpus Christi Cathedral.

I only have one report so far (can anyone confirm it?) which said the adoration chapel had been shut down and the police had been able to obtain fingerprints. I'm not claiming that these two stories are related. I just found it interesting that they happened so close together.

At any rate, let's pray that the Eucharist is not defiled.

Also, examples like this professor have always puzzled me. What, exactly, possesses someone with the desire to trample upon the beliefs of others in this callous manner? Is it an easy out for me to think he's been hurt in some way and this is his way to lash out?

In all seriousness, however, it's pretty clear this professor has seriously violated the terms of conduct stipulated in his contract and his immature and offensive rantings simply should not be tolerated by his employers.

And for all his bombast - he's taken down his original offending post.

[redhead]

Don’t they lock their tabernacles? I’ve never been in a parish that didn’t. Considering the value of some of the altar containers (if for nothing else), it only makes sense.

[magisterium]

It was my understanding that there is always a few self appointed parishioners that watch for these thieves.

That is generally not the case. Unless Eucharistic Adoration is going on - and the Church must not be unattended in such an event - it is extremely likely that a church may be unlocked and unattended. Perhaps the increase in these desecrations points to new realities, and volunteers - gathered largely from the ranks of retirees with the time to do this - might be needed to "watch and pray" in the churches in order to keep them open all day, every day.

For many years, it has been true that most inner-city churches have kept their doors closed when no Mass or other scheduled event is going on. That's an awful shame; when my own parents were young here in Boston, virtually every Catholic Church was open 24/7. Except for a few shrines where there is a more-or-less guaranteed, continuous flow of people coming in and out all day, this is no longer the case. Even the cathedral is shut tight except when Mass is going on! It will be even worse if Catholic Churches "everywhere" have to bolt the doors, too.

It is a miracle of forbearance that Our Lord stays His Hand!

[magisterium]

Well, they may have broken into it with tools. Or they might have picked the lock. Many older tabernacles have a lock that is simple enough that only a skeleton key is needed to open them. Or...you’re right, and no one bothered to lock the tabernacle that day, or simply forgot to.

[verga]

Don’t they lock their tabernacles? I’ve never been in a parish that didn’t. Considering the value of some of the altar containers (if for nothing else), it only makes sense.

In addition to locking the Tabernacle, the Knights of Columbus have Volunteered to watch all communicants that receive the host to make sure that none of them make off with it.

Perhaps other parishes might start something similar.

[Salvation]

How could they get into the locked tabernacle?

[ChurtleDawg]

I am not sure if my Church locks the door at night. Not long ago, one of the Priests mentioned either it had started or was going to start.

[magisterium]

God has an interesting ability to make something good out of an otherwise bad thing or situation. Perhaps the ease with which people can do these things while receiving Communion in the hand will lead to the abolition of the practice. And, even though it’s a lot harder to preserve the Eucharist intact once It’s in a person’s mouth, it still might not be a bad idea to get the K of C (or a similar group) lined-up to do what you suggest in every parish! ;-)

[sockmonkey]

In addition to locking the Tabernacle, the Knights of Columbus have Volunteered to watch all communicants that receive the host to make sure that none of them make off with it.

I hope they have their swords at the ready...yes, I know they are probably not in their regalia, but I like the idea of them being dressed in their KoC uniforms while on duty.

[AnAmericanMother]

I would think that a good jo would be more effective -- plus then you would not be shedding blood in church, if you were careful.

My husband's just a 4th kyu aikidoka (so that ain't him in the pic - in his dojo you're not entitled to wear the hakama til you get to 2nd kyu) . . . but he's a whiz with that stick. And he used to be head usher at our old Episcopal parish. And he's 6'6" and about 240#.

I'd hate to have to spare him from the choir, but it would be a pretty reckless little college boy who didn't do exactly what the old man told him to . . . .

. . . . and then of course there's our rector, who is a little fireplug of an Irishman who is built like a middleweight boxer . . . . and our parochial vicar, who is ex-military . . . . .

All in all, not the sort of parish that you would want to mess with, particularly.

[ELS]

They don’t call it the Church Militant for nothing.

[defconw]

The whole country has gone insane?

[fetal heart beats by 21st day]

What motivates them?

Arrogance.

Further, their arrogance is fed by their insulation from life’s realities.

Unlike the real world, they have tenure.

[redgolum]

Not Catholic but have a question.

PZ got a host? Hmm.. I honestly thought that nut job didn't have the guts.

Pray for him. As I have said in other threads I have chatted with someone claiming to be him on another blog site. He is a very angry and said man, who is trying to punish God for something. Pray that he might find peace.

[A.A. Cunningham]

What motivates them?

Satan