Sacred Church items stolen

Subhro Maitra Malda March 5, 2009: Some unidentified miscreants broke open the St. Joseph’s Cathedral at Chotparua, near Raiganj North Dinajpur on last night. They broke open the Tabernacle and have taken away the Holy Communion along with the ciborium, desecrating the Church.
The miscreants have also taken away several other ciborium, chalices, monstrance, and flower vases. “It is a terrible tragedy to the Christian Community here that exactly after two months of the robbery in St. Xavier’s School in Raiganj this incident has taken place.”, said Puthumai A. Nazarene of Social Welfare Institute, Raiganj. The front gate of the Church had been broken open by the thieves to get access to the church and then they had opened every room, almirah and cup-board to take away the sacred articles. The church authorities believe that it is a theft which has turned into a sacrilege because of the nature of the theft. The Christians believe in the true presence of Jesus in the Holy Communion. A police inquiry has been initiated.