Bishop Francis Duffy 
Staff Reporter
Bishop Francis Duffy has expressed his shock and sadness at desecration of a Longford church. It was discovered on Easter Sunday morning that St Michael’s Church, Shroid, in Longford parish was broken into and the tabernacle stolen. The church had not been in use over the Easter period when all parish ceremonies took place in St Mel’s Cathedral.
Bishop Duffy, who visited the scene of the break-in, said it was an “act of desecration” which was “disrespectful to religion and to the local community”. “It is extremely upsetting for the parishioners and the clergy here in Longford that something like this could happen, but especially during Holy Week,” he said.
“The tabernacle is the centre piece of every Mass as it holds the sacred Communion hosts. It holds the bread that we believe has been transformed into the body of Christ. That is what we believe and that is why this act of desecration is so distressing.”
Gardai are also investigating theft and criminal damage at Ennistymon Church in Co. Clare. A robbery, believed to have taken place between 8pm on Easter Sunday and 10am on Monday, saw the loss of dozens of Trócaire boxes as well as Easter Mass donations.