Holy items returned, Eucharist still missing after Fresno County church theft

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Holy items stolen from a Catholic Church in Fresno County have been returned – except one sacred piece, according to the Diocese of Fresno.

Over the weekend, St. Rita’s Mission Church in Yokuts Valley had its tabernacle, Eucharist, and other holy items taken. On Wednesday, officials say the items reported stolen were found on the doorsteps of another church, not affiliated with the Catholic Diocese, on Shaw and McCall in Fresno County; the Eucharist was not among the items recovered, which the Diocese of Fresno described as “disheartening and alarming.”

‘The worst is that’: Holy items stolen from church in Yokuts Valley

Officials say the items were accompanied with a note asking to return the items to St. Rita’s Mission Church.

“While the Church community, Fr. Arias and Bishop Brennan are glad the items were returned
to the parish, it is disheartening and alarming that the Holy Eucharist was not returned with the
items. We as a faith community offer up prayers of thanksgiving for the items we recovered,
but also still pray for the individual who did not return the Holy Eucharist,” says Chandler
Marquez, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Fresno.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the theft.

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