EVRY, France, FEB. 25, 2010 (Zenit.org).- A French bishop is expressing his frustration with the «ineptitude» of civil authorities to adequately respond to the desecration and vandalism of a church in his diocese.
Bishop Michel Dubost of the Diocese of Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes, located just south of Paris, posted a note on the diocesan Web site last week in which he denounced an «act of vandalism» that occurred on Feb. 12 in which the «Most Blessed Sacrament was profaned.»
The bishop told Le Parisien that the desecration was the worst he had ever seen.
After breaking down the door of the Church of Morangis in Essonne, the vandals threw papers on the floor, and turned over benches and chairs. They also destroyed the tabernacle and threw the Eucharist on the ground and trampled it.
Various religious objects were stolen, including two gold ciboria, a silver paten, and a chalice.
«This is the worst desecration of all,» Bishop Dubost told the Le Parisien newspaper. «But I feel that this does not shock anyone outside our community.»
Whereas «the public powers, the politicians, the press and public opinion rebel when a mosque or a synagogue is attacked,» the bishop lamented their «silence on churches.»
Moreover, after a series of Church robberies and desecrations last year — seven between January and June — the bishop had wanted to «create a commission to visit the 130 churches of the department to diagnose the problems of security at places of worship.»
«Like many churches belong to the municipalities, I was told that such commission existed and that it was not for the diocese to deal with that. But nothing has been done. And it is we who need to replace stolen items. It’s sick. I want the government, cities and the council dealing with the safety of churches. »
Meanwhile, «the abuses continue,» said Bishop Dubost, adding that «the public powers are responsible because of their ineptitude.»
«Personally, I cannot grow accustomed to profanations. If we must cry out, we will cry out,» he said. «After all, we are also citizens.»
