The Blessed Sacrament and monstrance of the San Guillermo Parish Church in Bacolor town were stolen shortly after still unidentified suspects broke entry into its Holy Eucharist Chapel on Saturday dawn.
According to San Guillermo Parish Priest Fr. Manny Sta Maria, the church’ Blessed Sacrament was discovered stolen when the Holy Eucharist Chapel’s caretaker was about to clean the area.
The Blessed Sacrament’s monstrance, which is made of gold amounting to $2,500, was donated in 2007 by the Galura Family in Bacolor during the stint of Fr. Jess Manabat.
With the incident, Fr. Sta Maria said the San Guillermo Church will be desecrated for 40 days in which people will offer atonement for the loss of the Blessed Sacrament.
Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga has ordered the closure of the San Guillermo Parish Church.
In a statement, Sta. Maria said all church sacraments and events including weddings are moved temporarily at San Vicente De Zaragoza Chapel in Barangay San Vicente, Bacolor town.
As of press time, police authorities went immediately at the Chapel and investigated the incident. At 10 a.m. shortly after the police left the Chapel, the Blessed Sacrament was seen in the area without its monstrance.
In January 2013, thieves also stole the San Vicente Chapel’s two bells that warned residents of the lahar flow from Mt. Pinatubo that erupted back in 1991.