Burglars Target Cure d'Ars Catholic Church, Steal Artifacts, Surveillance Cameras

DENVER (CBS4)- It's hard to find the words to describe what happened at Cure d'Ars Catholic Church in northeast Denver Monday night. Thieves broke in and burglarized the parish, leaving little behind.

"Tuesday morning I came in to open the door for 9 o'clock mass and I noticed something odd was happening," says Fr. Joseph Cao "This is a devastating loss for our parish."

The burglars took the Tabernacle with about 20 consecrated hosts in it, the sacred vessels (chalices, ciborium, holy water font,), the sound system, the mixing board for their band, the computer they use to live stream Mass and all the cameras.

Because they took the cameras, there is no surveillance footage. Father Cao says they didn't just stop with tech and religious items. They took all the exposed copper plumbing pipes.

"The basement was flooded," Father Cao says.

Now they are trying to recover. Their basement is drying out but their kitchen has mold and they no longer have AC or running water. That isn't going to deter them from worshiping.

"We told our community mass will be at the regular time but bring a fan," says Fr. Cao.

They've had to borrow ceremonial items from other parishes, but while they are struggling they say if the thief returns the irreplaceable religious items they will be appreciative and forgiving.

"Return it to the church. If the door is closed just put it at the front door."