By Sujata Jena
Bhubaneswar, June 4, 2023: After a group of robbers has looted a parish in Odisha’s Sambalpur diocese and wounded its priest, a bishop has issued an 11-point guideline on security measures his people should adopt.
According to information received in Bhubaneswar, the state capital, six masked men at 3 am on May 31 broke into Amlikhaman parish church under the diocese of Sambalpur and threatened five priests and a relative of a priest sleeping in the presbytery.
The parish is some 90 km northeast of Sambalpur town, some 275 km northwest of Bhubaneswar.
The miscreants allegedly demanded money from the priests threatening them with gunshots. They attacked parish priest Father Sushil Kerketta, who sustained head injuries.
They allegedly took 500,000 rupees in cash from Father Kerketta, 175,000 from another priest, 10,000 rupees each from two other priests, and 1,200 rupees from the layperson. They also carried away a dish TV.
In the tussle, the parish priest was injured and the police took him to a hospital in Kuchinda, 28 km south of the parish, for first aid.
The police have also registered a case, launched a probe and searched various places led by officer Raj Kishore Mishra.
The diocese has corroborated the incident and Bishop Niranjan Sualsingh of Sambalpur diocese on June 2 circulated an 11-point guideline among parishes and religious communities stressing the need to adapt security and precautionary measures.
The prelate wants everyone to refrain from opening the door at late-night hours, especially when unexpected visitors arrive. Instead, they should communicate through mobile phones to verify visitors’ identity or purpose.
The priests, and religious and people living in their institutions should remain alert and report any suspicious activity to the parish authorities promptly.
They must avoid sharing sensitive information or discussing the parish’s financial matters with strangers or untrusted individuals, the bishop’s directive says.
If the Church people notice any suspicious individuals or activity, they should immediately inform the local police station and notify the parish administration, it adds.
Another instruction is to install CCTV cameras in all presbyteries and convents without delay, and appoint night watchmen.
The bishop also wants his people to create a neighborhood vigilant group with people around and develop a quick warning system, such as calling a neighbor or ringing the church bell.
He wants presbyteries and convents to not keep valuable things or money in large quantity at one a one place. Parishes and other church institutions should lock gates and grills securely.
Bishop Sualsingh urges his people to maintain open lines of communication with fellow residents and stay updated on any security concerns or developments.
“In case of any unfortunate event they must inform the local police and file an FIR. Not to destroy any evidence and seal the place,” he says.
The question remains.
Does this mean that you can take what is not yours?
As the ages, (years) advance, changes are to be accepted.
The styles of the clergy too many have changed and to be understood.
You can’t rob, steal, from either rich or poor and state that the act was not a crime. Whether the priests were rich or poor is, at this moment, not contestable.
They were robbed by force. That is punishable.
Refering to this news i would like to quote this passage from the bible. Mathew Chapter 6 verse 19 ‘do not lay up treasures on earth where moths and rust destroy and thieves come in and steal instead lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where thieves cannot steal. How true are these words of Jesus. Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away.
Matthew ch.6 verse 19 clearly says
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also. How true are these words of Jesus. Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away.
Refer to all the above .
first question is why is huge amount of cash to be kept within the church parish priest or within .
why can’t the cash be deposited in Bank during day .
how can a third party rob ,unless the priest has not disclosed to other priest or lay person .
Priest need to be more vigil and most important in remote rural churches and parishes ,need to have some mechanism in place to set alarm or church bell rung.
never the less . keep limited cash not more than required only for the emergency until the night or some basic requirement .
the church is the institute which educates others, how has the security policy not in place . i thing the bishop is just relaxing and not taking interest .there should be young priest in rural and also multi culture from different states . all the security SOPs in be in place in entire oddissa to be promulgated with immediate effect . pls all cameras set in all critical and sensetive place .more over ,only required person to be allowed ,within the church compound . keep undercoverage person from the village ,to get information. Need effective planning for security ,safety and fire plan . This could send mixed message to Christian community in rural area . all bishops to be strong vigil and some methodology bin place as per the location ,space place and within the primises of the church around . don’t speak on financial matter to all person not related to the concern business .God bless .police will only act after the crime has happened. they cannot reach every time and every location .security is every bodies busines.
This incident, like many others, raises serious questions about the security provided to our Missionaries.
Money, yes, but lives are very much at stake.
Reminded of the Bishop in les mesrables and Jean val Jean
Yes. I agree with both Mr Isaac and Mr Sathyan. What you said is Correct.
When our Clergy is going to get enlightenment ⁉️.
How can we help the Church and its hierarchy to overcome these type of Problems. We needed to discuss and start to work on it.
Remember Rev Paapu Madassery of Jalandhar who admitted to having 30 crores in cash in April 2019. No lessons learnt.
All the instructions of the bishop are focussed on how the priests must keep themselves and their properties safe and secure.
Today we live in an era where banks and ATMs are looted inspite of the security measures. The more security measures are introduced, more inventive ways are adopted by the robbers.
So, the Catholic Church must make a “U” turn and adopt the lifestyle of the early Christian Community.
The parish priest has made the cardinal error of holding so much loose cash (around Rs 7 lakh) in the parish. Had the cash been banked , the robbers would not have been able to “loot” it. Banking of excess cash is the standard and safe financial practice. None of the eleven guidelines of Bishop Niranjan stipulates the maximum cash that can be kept in imprest (standard practice is Rs 10,000 only). The loot took place (earlier similar look place in a Jharkhand parish a few months ago) because of opaque accounting practice – too much of loose cash hanging around in today’s age of banking practice and online transaction. Was it black money? Had it been accounted for receipts. It would have been banked.
The motive of the robbers is clear – to loot money. How did the robbers know that the priests will have cash with them? The present-day lifestyle of the bishops, priests and nuns sends a clear message to the public that they are not poor.
Is it not high time for the clergy to do a sincere introspection on the “extravaganza” that has become an inseparable component of their life?
Pope Francis repeatedly reminds the bishops, priests and nuns to lead a simple lifestyle. But…who listens and bothers??