A tabernacle and the Blessed Sacrament were stolen from a church near Saltillo, Mexico, prompting condemnation and a call for reparation rites.
Newsroom (26/03/2026 Gaudium Press )In the early hours of March 23, the Diocese of Saltillo in northern Mexico faced a profound act of desecration. The tabernacle and the Blessed Sacrament were stolen from the Divine Mercy Chapel, part of San Miguel parish, located just south of Saltillo in Coahuila state.
Bishop Hilario González García confirmed the theft in an official statement and described the crime as both a violation of sacred space and a grievous sacrilege. “This act is a violation of the Holy Place [the Temple]; and a Sacrilege against the Sacred Eucharistic Species,” the bishop declared. He also emphasized that any Catholic involved in the theft has incurred automatic excommunication under Canon 1367 of the Code of Canon Law — an offense categorized as Latae Sententiae, meaning it takes effect immediately without need for formal declaration.
According to Bishop González García, the diocese will notify the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican body responsible for safeguarding Catholic doctrine, about the incident. He underscored that according to Church law, a sacred place violated by such an act cannot host public worship until it is ritually purified through a penitential rite. The bishop announced he will preside over that rite of reparation at the Divine Mercy Chapel on Saturday, March 28, at 7:00 p.m., keeping the temple closed to worship until then.
Calling on residents of Saltillo and the surrounding communities, Bishop González García urged anyone who encounters the stolen tabernacle or Sacred Hosts to contact the parish immediately. He also asked the faithful to respond to the sacrilege with prayer and reverence. “In light of the very serious offense committed against Our Lord,” he said, “the faithful are invited to unite in prayer, perform acts of reparation, and foster love for Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.” The bishop further reminded Catholics to remain vigilant in protecting the sanctity and security of churches entrusted to their care.
The theft marks another troubling incident for the Diocese of Saltillo, which has endured more than a dozen attacks and robberies targeting its churches in recent years. As the community prepares for Saturday’s act of reparation, the faithful await the recovery of the stolen relics — and the restoration of their sacred space.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from ACI Prensa
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