The Santa Monica Police Department is seeking suspects following a break-in at St. Monica Church on Thursday night that resulted in $150,000 worth of audio and video equipment stolen and an attempted desecration of the church’s tabernacle.
A tabernacle is one of the most sacred objects in a Catholic church, according to Merrick Siebenaler, St. Monica’s director of development and communications.
“As Catholics, we believe in the full presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament,” Siebenaler said. “So, we reserve the Eucharist, which is Jesus’ body, in that tabernacle. It’s probably the most sacred spot in any Catholic worship space — more so than the altar, more so than any other places.
“Imagine someone breaking into the tomb of Jesus — that’s what that feeling is,” Siebenaler said.
While photos of the tabernacle show clear attempts to pry it open, the door held.
“We have to pray and forgive those who trespass against us,” Monsignor Lloyd Torgerson, pastor of St. Monica, said on Friday. Torgerson was quoting from the Lord’s Prayer, commonly called the Our Father, one of the bedrock prayers in Catholicism and other branches of Christianity. The prayer asks that God forgive us as we forgive others.
“We say that every day, and we have to believe what we say,” Torgerson said.
Torgerson, whose tenure at St. Monica spans about 40 years, including 35 years leading the flock as pastor, said this was the first break-in the community has suffered in that time.
In a message to the St. Monica community released by the church on Friday, Torgerson said the tabernacle was not desecrated thanks to Divine intercession.
“They attempted to breach the tabernacle and it was damaged, but it held strong and protected the Blessed Sacrament,” Torgerson said. “What an inspiring demonstration of the power of the Eucharist!”
Siebenaler said that according to security camera footage, the crime occurred around 9:30 p.m. Thursday.
“Footage shows that the church was locked up and in the dark from about sundown on,” Siebenaler said. “At around 9:30, there are at least three people in the dark with flashlights removing all of the camera and audio equipment.”
Rudy Flores, SMPD public information officer, said he was aware of a witness statement describing one suspect — a male of unknown race, about 5’11, 170 lbs, wearing a light top and black pants and carrying a flashlight.
Suspects also removed four candle boxes, which contain cash donations given to the church as the faithful light prayer candles.
Siebenaler estimated the cost to replace the equipment came to about $150,000, but that did not include repairing the damaged tabernacle, which is an antique, original to the 1925 church.
“There are special artisans that build these sacred vessels, and the tabernacle is one of them,” Siebenaler said. “So, we work with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to track down the original artisan and, if not, there’s plenty of wonderful artisans that make the chalices, they make the ciborium — the dishes that hold the Sacrament — and all of those things, but we have no idea what that [cost] will be.”
The camera and audio equipment is used to live stream services, which has become a popular way to attend Catholic Masses since the onset of the pandemic.
Torgerson’s message stated that the theft would not disrupt streaming of weekend services.
“Our livestream and audio teams were on-site in minutes to assess the loss and began early this morning to repair and rebuild so we will be ready for weekend Masses,” the Monsignor wrote. “I am incredibly grateful to them and the Santa Monica Police Department for their extraordinary care for this community.”
On Friday, Torgerson said St. Monica was a “blessed community” and thanked parishioners for stepping up to make it possible to resume livestreams so quickly.
Flores said the crime was being investigated as a standard burglary, with no particular malice against the Church or parish community.
Anyone with information in the case is strongly encouraged to contact Detective David Chabot at (310) 458-2201 ext. 6679 or David.chabot@santamonica.gov.
emily@smdp.com
