Priests to start erecting fences as thieves target Churches

Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Security has been an area of least concern for priests, as sacred places of worship they preside over have been enjoying respect from all members of the community. However, this is no more as unbecoming acts of stealing from churches has increased in the past two years.

In Masaka Diocese, the vice seems to be at its peak with at least six Catholic churches having been robbed in a period less than one year.

In most cases, burglars break into the sacristy, stealing electric wires, bulbs, public address systems, furniture and money found in alms boxes. Priests and lay leaders only learn about the incidents in the mornings as they arrange for morning masses.

The churches that have been recently attacked and robbed are Kabuwoko parish church, Matale, Biikira, Kasozi, Mbirizi, and Gayaza sub parish church.

Grace Nakigozi, youth leader in Narozari Parish, revealed that in many cases attacks on churches occur in the night with thugs passing through ventilators, and at times using  masters keys.

Many other faithful and priests interviewed think that some of those who rob from church are the people that always come to seek refuge at the sanctuaries.

Regina Kitaka Nalubega, the head of laity in Masaka Diocese, is also convinced that those stealing from the churches could be fellow Catholics. Nalubega says that they are going to conduct prayers to invoke God to reveal the thieves.

As Christians invoke the intervention of God, the head of laity is also pleading to security organs to investigate the vice and crack down on the thugs.

Rev. Fr Henry Kiganda, the Parish priest at St Jude Catholic parish in Lukaya, Kalungu District, says as churches continue to become targets for thieves, they have been forced to keep church locked during the times when there is no activity or Mass going on.

Fr Kiganda adds that they are  considering raising funds to erect fences and install cameras on all church promises as way of tightening the security.

In addition to the aforementioned ideas, the faithful have also suggested that it is high time the church considered hiring security guards.

Acts of attacking churches are not only in Masaka Diocese, but have been registered countrywide. Since the beginning of this year, several cases have been recorded in many other dioceses.

For instance, in a space of two months, thieves have broken into five churches in Lira stealing different items including the communion and wine.

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URN