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Wednesday, February 27, 2008 - Web posted at 8:28:47 GMT 'Hellfire and brimstone' for church thieves OSWALD SHIVUTETHIEVES who raided a church in the North thought they'd struck gold when they got hold of the keys to what they thought was a safe. |
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All the criminals found inside the tabernacle were consecrated communion hosts (sacrament) - which are given to churchgoers at Mass. Their violation of the sacred drew strong condemnation from the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church in Namibia, Liborious Ndumbukuti Nashenda. In short, the Archbishop cautioned them to beware of the hounds of heaven. He said that both the law of God and the laws of the country would eventually catch up with the criminals if they did not change their selfish attitude. "I was deeply shocked by the news of destruction and truly ungodly act by the criminals and I strongly condemn this uncalled-for behaviour towards the Church," the Archbishop said. The head of the Otshaanedko Parish, Deacon Eddy Iiyambo, said the criminals broke in through the main entrance and turned the church upside down looking for something to feed their greed. They even emptied out the cupboards in the dressing room where the priests change before conducting mass. Eventually they turned their attention to the tabernacle. Despite finding nothing of earthly value, the criminals made off with the keys of the tabernacle. Archbishop Nashenda said it was not the first time that criminals had damaged church property. He said there had been similar incidents at churches such as the Emono Parish in the Oshana Region, as well as at Oshikulufitu, Ombafi, Okafitukakamba in Omusati and at Walvis Bay's Good Shepherd Parish Church (Kuisebmond), as well as at other churches. "These criminals have no respect for life, people's property and are, in fact, working against the spirit of development and national reconciliation. We build these churches to provide a more meaningful place of worship for our Christian communities, and they break down or destroy," Nashenda said. He said not only was their behaviour a danger to society, it was also a clear manifestation of the moral degradation of a society, which needed God's love and His healing touch. "Moral conscientiousness and responsibility is indeed fading," he added. The Archbishop said the season of Lent was an opportune time for these criminals to experience the grace of conversion, change their hearts and return to the Lord "who is full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in love". He noted that criminals had not only targeted the Roman Catholic Church, but other churches, and unity was needed to fight and root out these destructive forces in society. "Let us not meet this with silence and indifference, because in doing so, we condone such evil acts. These poor individuals have lost a sense for the sacred and the holy, and no longer respect religious things," he said. |
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