Wafer theft suspect wouldn’t eat one, at first
November 12th, 2008 by Ana X. CeronBy ANA X. CERON
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
JENSEN BEACH — Morning Mass at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church was going smoothly until Communion.
That’s when John S. Ricci took one of the Communion wafers and pocketed it, not only attacking their priest, but also their faith, parishioners told Martin County Sheriff’s deputies.
Ricci was supposed to consume the wafer – considered by Roman Catholics to be the body of Jesus Christ – to accept Communion, but when he didn’t, the Rev. Marco DeLeon called after him, parishioners said.
Ricci, 33, then pushed DeLeon and grabbed a handful of wafers from the priest, parishioner Jim Molgano said.
“It was a horrible thing to witness,” Molgano said on Wednesday.Parishioners attending the 8:30 a.m. Mass rushed to Ricci to stop him from leaving the church, according to a sheriff’s report.
Among them were 82-year-old Molgano and a 65-year-old man who later suffered a mild heart attack.
Lori Shekailo, St. Martin’s director of finance and operations, says the church has been flooded with e-mails and calls since local media reported the incident.
Some of them are grateful. Thank you for “helping to catch the man who was trying to steal Jesus,” Shekailo said one Minnesota woman wrote.
Most, however, have a nasty tone, she said, with some people charging that the parishioners overreacted.
“I would hate to see what would happen if he took a hymn book,” another e-mail read.
Shekailo said some people accused the church of having a homeless man who wanted only something to eat arrested.
“That’s so far from the truth,” she said, pointing out that the church has a soup kitchen that cooks free meals for the needy every Friday night.
Also, that doesn’t explain why Ricci placed the Communion wafer in his pocket, Shekailo said.
For the church, the incident is about much more than wafers, Shekailo said. It is about the core of the Catholic faith, she said. Those who helped stop Ricci were trying to protect both their priest and their beliefs, she said.
Still, church members also share concerns about the man who was still at the Martin County jail on Wednesday, where he is being held on $2,000 bail.
“We’re praying for Mr. Ricci,” Shekailo said. “We’ve forgiven him, obviously.”
ana_ceron@pbpost.com
Tags: catholic, communion, jesus, Jesus Christ, John S. Ricci, Mass, parish, Rev. Marco DeLeon, Roman Catholics, wafer
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November 12th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
I thing that Christ took of the bread blessed it and then divided it among the people something is wrong let the man go.
Feeding on friday night is good, But there is 6 days before the next friday night
November 12th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
The quality of mercy is not strain’d,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
‘T is mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s,
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.
William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), “The Merchant of Venice”, Act 4 scene 1
November 12th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Can you spell “OVERREACTION”?
November 12th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Fact: the man was on private property.
Fact: the man deliberately abused the host by not receiving it in the proper manner.
The man entered the private property with intent to act maliciously. Catholics believe the consecrated host is the body of Jesus Christ. Thus, he knew he was desecrating a religious and sacred item.
So, um, yeah, HE was wrong and probably should have been body-slammed and charged with a hate crime.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Am I to understand that this man is givren a $2000 bail because he pocketed a WAFFER.
On SNL a few years ago there was a skit about the theft of the Babby Jesus that was apparently stolen from the Manger of a Catholic Church in Queens during Christmas season.. It was Hillarious. Laverne from Laverne $ Shirely and Rosey Odonell where part of the cast going hiterically on and on about the theft of the Babby Jesus.
This is not funny. Those assholes could press charges. I wonder what Jesus would do. Probablly laugh and wonder why this man is homeless and came to his church.