Burglars Steal Communion Cups from St. Catherine’s Church-This Day in Norwood History-July 1, 1904

Robbery and Sacrilege.

One of the boldest and most dastardly crimes which ever occurred in Norwood, the burglary and robbery of a church, took place sometime on Sunday last, probably on Sunday evening. The thieves entered St. Catherine’s Roman Catholic church evidently through a window, and, proceeding to the vestry, obtained keys with which they unlocked a cupboard in the tabernacle and stole therefrom two ciboriums or cups of silver lined with gold and of great value. The thieves sawed them off the table or unscrewed them in some way from their bases and left the bases behind. One of the cups was of great value, having been brought from Europe by Father Troy. It was elegantly engraved and carved with gold filigree work. Two lunettes were also taken. They had glass discs and were of somewhat less value than the other communion articles. A pewter box with a small cover of silver was also taken. This last article was of very little value. The total value of the articles stolen is about $1,000. The thieves appear to have gone about their operations in a very deliberate and workmanlike manner, and in removing the cups they showed the skill and determination of professionals. Their knowledge of where the keys of the Tabernacle were kept betrays, however, some knowledge of the church and vestry arrangements which a local rather than an outside man would be apt to possess.

The church is usually kept open till 8 o’clock in the evening. The last service held there on Sunday was at 2.30 o’clock in the afternoon There is very good evidence that the work was done in the evening. The thieves evidently entered through a side window, as finger marks were visible on the window frame and the putty was broken in places, which would indicate that some instrument was used in prying up the window. The cups are said to have distinctive marks, and the thieves will have hard work to dispose of them, unless they are melted up into metal. The church has been burglarized before two or three times, but never before have articles of much value been taken. The crime of robbing a church is considered an act of peculiar atrocity, and only the worst and meanest of criminals are considered capable of committing such an offense.

Rev. James B. Troy, the pastor, is highly indignant over the affair, and savs it emphasizes the fact that the town stands greatly in need of a larger police force. He intimated pretty strongly to an Advertiser man that the town did not stand half so much in need of a new chief as of more policemen. There have been a number of suspicious characters about town in the past week or two, and with only one man on duty nights and only one in the daytime, the safety of life and property in town is by no means as well guarded as it ought to be.

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)