Archbishop accuses police of apathy over church attacks

Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore has accused the government and police of apathy in the wake of the vandalization of another church in his diocese.

Archbishop Bernard Moras (extreme left), together with police and other Church personnel, inspect the desecrated tabernacle

Vandals broke into St. Anthony´s church in Bangalore on Saturday evening, strewed Communion hosts around the church and stole a gold-plated chalice and two ciboria.

Karnataka state has witnessed “so many church attacks” but no “culprit has been booked despite the assurances given to me by top police officers,” Archbishop Moras told the media Nov. 8.

St. Anthony´s parish priest Father Arockiadoss discovered the damage when he opened the church, in the suburb of Kavalbysandra, at 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

The bishop said he was “upset” at government apathy toward catching culprits and was losing confidence in police investigations.

“I am hurt because of the desecration of the Blessed Sacrament which is so central to our faith,” he said.

He called for calm from the 1,000 parishioners who had gathered at the church to pray. Several police officers visited the parish along with a dog squad and fingerprint experts.

Another church in Bangalore was vandalized on Sept. 10, as Christians in Karnataka were preparing to observe the first anniversary of the start of four months of church attacks by radical Hindu groups late last year.

St. Anthony´s caters to some 5,000 parishioners. It was expanded this year, and Archbishop Moras reopened it on Sept. 11.