Armed men in Mexico rob monstrance containing Eucharist

Mexico City, Mexico, Mar 2, 2012 / 12:45 pm

Two armed men entered a perpetual adoration chapel in in Mexico during the early morning hours on Feb. 29 and stole the monstrance containing the Eucharist.

“The kinds of acts undoubtedly manifest a lack of respect for God in his Church and a lack of values,” said the Diocese of Orizaba,  which located in the Mexican state of Veracruz.

According to the diocese, the men overpowered the five people who were in the chapel and locked them inside before making off with the monstrance.

“As the Church, such a cowardly act hurts and concerns us, but what mainly disturbs us is what they are going to do with the Holy Eucharist, which as we Catholics know is the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ,” the diocese added.

Diocesan spokesman, Marcos Palacios, said that the local Church doesn't want “the monstrance back, we want the Host. We ask those who took it to bring back, even anonymously if they want.”

In the wake the incident, the diocese decided to close the chapel temporarily “to express our sorrow and offer this reaction in penance for the acts that were committed.”

The diocese also invited Catholics to join in a march of reparation on March 2 through the streets of Orizaba to the Cathedral.  The Eucharist will be carried in procession after which Bishop Marcelino Hernandez Rodriguez will preside at Mass.

The diocese thanked local officials for their support and encouraged Catholics to pray “for the conversion of those who carried out this sacrilegious act. May God strengthen our Church in such a difficult trial.”