Stealing in Church

[auparavant]

Is this getting worse or what? There is a little gang of people coming to mass and sitting through most of it, then stealing out of people's purses and whatever they leave on the pew when they go up for communion. They are also stealing from unlocked cars in the parking lots. These have been hitting church after church. I mean, you wait until the holiest moment of the mass and steal??? I figure, the average parish will have 3-5 masses on Sunday. That's a lot of liturgy and none of it sinks in? I would NOT want to answer for that some day. Folks are bold.

I remember when someone stole the gold chalice from the church and the candelabras. I think I heard where one guy in another city stole the gold monstrance. I'm sure Jesus was still in it.

 

[proudofmynaps]

Oh God no. Where are they doing this at?

 

[auparavant]

^^^Around our local parishes. It was announced today. I wonder if they were in the pews when father said to be aware. LOL

 

[Belle Du Jour]

Yeah, my purse is always on my arm in the communion line. Not everyone comes into church with honorable intentions. There's also a women's homeless shelter right next door although TBH, I've never seen one of those ladies inside the church.

ETA: In European churches, they have signs posted about watching out for pickpockets. erplexed

 

[Belle Du Jour]

I remember when someone stole the gold chalice from the church and the candelabras. I think I heard where one guy in another city stole the gold monstrance. I'm sure Jesus was still in it.

So sad. Churches used to be open all hours of the day and night but because of stealing, you can hardly find a church open in the evening to just sit quietly and pray unless it's a HDOO.

 

[Shimmie]

This is so disrespectful for someone to do.

I love to set a trap and have a line of purses left in the pews with mouse traps insdie of each one. A couple of 'snapped' fingers ought to teach them a lesson.

 

[Belle Du Jour]

This is so disrespectful for someone to do.

I love to set a trap and have a line of purses left in the pews with mouse traps insdie of each one. A couple of 'snapped' fingers ought to teach them a lesson.

So funny!

 

[Shimmie]

So funny!

Truth being, I'll be the one setting the traps...

 

[Galadriel]

This happened in some parishes out my way as well. It's so terrible! I take my purse up with me as well when I go up for communion.

 

[Ms. Tarabotti]

I try not to leave anything of value if I have to leave the pew because not everyone who goes to church is a Christian.

 

[Nice & Wavy]

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[auparavant]

Ushers can't take care of that, actually, we are pretty large parishes and you don't always attend the same mass and parishioners hop all the time to even other churches. Communion line is pretty fast and they assist every pew to the aisle. Folks are leaving smartphones and car keys and whatnot. I remember when they locked the doors to the chapel. SMH.

Yeah, leave a few boobytrapped purses with mousetraps, stink bomb or powder bombs like bright neon blue or something. Haha! Poof! Snap!

 

[Nice & Wavy]

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[MzRhonda]

I had that happen to me years ago, when most of the church went up for prayer(alter call) I left my purse in the pew and a member(young boy) took my wallet/money out of my purse...one of the elderly members who did not go up saw him do it......of course he denied it and finally fessed up.....his grandmother was very hurt and embarrassed.

 

[auparavant]

It's just terrible. Anyhoo, N&W, for as many people who attend each mass with hundreds each one, there are only a handful of ushers. Maybe 6 at best. They cannot handle it during communion. That's why Fr. announced it, to get people to take personal responsibility. They sit in the back pew and only handle the offerings and direct each pew to join the communion line. They are not stationed in the aisles. I'm sure if someone caught someone doing such, they'd report it. But you don't know who is who...could be a husband holding his wife's purse. lol

 

[Nice & Wavy]

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[Iwanthealthyhair67]

@auparavant are there ushers in a catholic, recently I attended a catholic church for a funeral and we were ushered to our seats but then that was a funeral, just curious.

 

[auparavant]

Iwanthealthyhair67

I didn't say we have no ushers, I related that our parish has limited ushers and they mainly help you find a seat, take up baskets during the offertory and usher people to the aisle during communion. They are not standing guards of anybody and they do not have the time or numbers to watch people's stuff. They don't get up and walk the aisles until they are doing one of those three things. I believe Fr. had the right solution, other than being informed by the police and victims - getting people to handle their own little affairs as not to put the burden on somebody else. People take it for granted that church is a safe environment and it's full of every kind of people, just like regular society. We need to lock out cars and secure our properties always. Sad, but reality.

 

[Iwanthealthyhair67]

^^I'm only asking because I don't know I've only visited a catholic church maybe twice that I can remember .

 

[LifeafterLHCF]

I read the title,then I read the OP. This can't be life at all. Dang can't relax anywhere anymore.

 

[Nice & Wavy]

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[auparavant]

Why is that interesting with a saddy-face?

 

[auparavant]

^^I'm only asking because I don't know I've only visited a catholic church maybe twice that I can remember .

My apologies...I didn't see the question mark and flipped that to "there are ushers...." because that's what I thought you were saying. I've also been writing "is" rather than "his" which is a total phonetic mistake I don't realize I'm making at the time...../eez/ rather than /hIZ/ ...and flipping stuff around.

Now, I do know that if they catch someone running out or whatnot, the ushers will call the police on them with no problems. We have to lock out offerings up immediately and it's escorted out. Folks are crazy.

 

[Belle Du Jour]

There should be a sufficient amount of ushers per aisle. So many people don't understand the importance of the Usher Ministry in church, but its one that should not be overlooked.

But, until a church can get there, people should take their purses/personal belongings with them when they go upfront.

It would be impractical to have ushers for each aisle. At most, there are 4 at a Mass for maybe 80-100 people at my parish. They are simply directing the communion line flow. They are not trained safety professionals anyway.

 

[Belle Du Jour]

Why is that interesting with a saddy-face?

I am also curious why your comment is interesting.

 

[truequeen06]

Unfortunately this happened to me in high school during the mass for youth day. It was interesting how they took most of the money and left a 5 and a few ones. Since then, I've been taking my purse with me to communion.

 

[auparavant]

I don't want to turn the thread, but sometimes, I stake out where to hide and shove my children in the event somebody comes in shooting a gun. I know that was random...but crime in church is getting more common.

 

[Laela]

IMHO, stealing, cheating, fighting, etc. all happens in churches.. That's not new. When Jesus dealt with demons, He did so everywhere, including in the synagogues. The synagogues were not exempt from demonic activity. We all know the true church is not the buildings....so a lack of respect for God or disorder has more to do with the demons that influence the people. Ushering is a ministry as well... I don't expect that they are tasked to keep an eye out for thieves, etc.. it's a higher calling than that.

 

[Shimmie]

I don't want to turn the thread, but sometimes, I stake out where to hide and shove my children in the event somebody comes in shooting a gun. I know that was random...but crime in church is getting more common.

I don't think it's random... you are doing what comes naturally, you are a loving mother protecting her children.

The cost of this: "PRICELESS"...