Catholic Church in Nigeria’s Kafanchan Diocese Desecrated, Tabernacle “forcibly opened”, Bishop Directs Reparation

Kafanchan, 13 May, 2025 / 9:47 PM

The church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan was recently broken into and consecrated hosts in the tabernacle stolen, the Chancellor of the Nigerian Diocese has said.

In a statement shared with ACI Africa, Fr. Jacob Shanet expresses “deep sorrow and pastoral concern”, following what he describes as “a most grievous sacrilege committed against the Most Holy Eucharist”, and outlines the Local Ordinary’s directives for reparation.

“On Sunday, May 4, 2025, the tabernacle at the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Unguwar Rimi, Bajju, was forcibly opened, and the Sacred Species was stolen,” Fr. Shanet laments in the Monday, May 12 statement.

He adds, “Such a wound to the Mystical Body of Christ calls for a united response of reparation and fervent intercession.”

The Chancellor of the Nigerian Diocese goes on to outline Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi’s directive for reparation, saying, “All Priests of the Diocese of Kafanchan are to offer a Mass of Reparation on Friday, May 16, 2025.”

“This should be offered with the intention of making amends for this sacrilege and imploring the mercy of God upon those responsible,” Fr. Shanet says.

Bishop Yakubu has directed that “all Parishes, religious houses, and faithful ... participate in acts of reparation throughout the week,” he further says.

The acts of reparation include “Eucharistic Adoration, with particular attention to silence and reverence, the Rosary, invoking Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the patroness of the parish affected, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, offered for the conversion of those who committed this offense, and public and private prayers for the safe and reverent return of the Sacred Species,” Fr. Shanet says.

“Let this grave offense awaken in us a renewed reverence for the Holy Eucharist, which the Second Vatican Council described as the source and summit of the Christian life,” the Chancellor of Kafanchan Diocese says in his May 12 statement.

He implores, “We entrust our supplications to the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and pray that through this trial, hearts may be turned back to God, and love for the Eucharistic Lord may be deepened in our Diocese.”