Vandal Scandal

The Blessed Sacrament is adored by every Roman Catholic as the true Body and Blood of Christ. It is a particle of unleavened bread, generally baked by nuns, and consecrated by the priest during mass. When not in use it rests in a ciborium (cuplike vessel) in the tabernacle, a stout box on the church's high altar. In time of stress the Blessed Sacrament is the priest's first concern. In Toledo one night last week Rev. Francis J. Keyes hastened into his church, St. Patrick's. The tabernacle containing the ciborium and Host was gone. So were gold and silver vessels worth $3,000--thuribles (censers), other ciboria, a gold-&-onyx crucifix, a pyx (watch-shaped case for carrying the Sacrament to the sick). Three marauders, whom Father Reyes's housekeeper had seen sneaking out of the church, had spilled holy oil from leaden containers, pried the tabernacle from its carved oak casing with a crowbar, done sacrilegious damage estimated at $2,000.

A greater scandal to the faithful was the fact that they had taken the Body of Christ, perhaps impiously thrown it away. It is mortal sin for anyone but a priest or deacon even to touch the Host. Desecrated, St. Patrick's high altar could not be used for mass last week until a public service of reparation was performed.

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