The Order of the Knights of Saint Mulumba of Nigeria (KSM), has decried what it termed a sacrilegious act at St Mulumba Catholic Church in Owerri where thieves broke in and stole sacred items in the inner most recesses of the church.
In a statement signed by its Supreme Knight, Sir Steve Adehi, SAN, KSM stated that it received with profound shock, outrage, and deep spiritual anguish the disturbing report of the sacrilegious break-in and theft of the Blessed Sacrament from the Chapel of Adoration of St. Mulumba Parish, Owerri.
The leading lay faithful organisation in the catholic church described the incident as insidious and an act which is not merely a case of theft but a grave desecration of the Most Holy Eucharist — the very Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the centre and summit of our faith. That to KSM is an assault on the sacred, a violation of a holy space, and a direct affront to the conscience of millions of Catholics.
KSM condemned this heinous act in the strongest possible terms and noted that it reflects a troubling descent into moral recklessness and a growing disregard for what is sacred and inviolable It lamented that unknown persons could penetrate a consecrated space, break through its roof under the cover of darkness, and make away with the Blessed Sacrament, which reveals a boldness that must alarm every right-thinking member of society.
KSM, therefore, called on all security agencies to take the gravity of this crime seriously as this is not a routine incident to be filed away and forgotten. It called for urgent, thorough, and professional investigation and that the perpetrators must be identified, apprehended, and brought to justice without delay. The faithful,KSM insisted, deserve reassurance that their places of worship are safe and that such sacrilege will not be tolerated under any circumstance.
Meanwhile, KSM has admonished all Catholic parishes and institutions to review and strengthen their security measures, especially where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration. Vigilance, it noted, is no longer optional but a sacred duty.
KSM reiterated its support and solidarity with the clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese of Owerri, particularly St. Mulumba Parish in this painful moment. KSM assured the victims of constant prayers of reparation in the firm resolve to uphold the sanctity of the Catholic faith.
The statement concluded that “even in our outrage, we are reminded of a deeper truth: the real battle is the Lord’s. No act of desecration, no matter how grievous, can diminish His glory or defeat His power. The darkness of this act will not prevail over the light of Christ”
KSM therefore call on all Knights, Catholic men, and the entire Body of Christ to respond not only with righteous indignation but with intensified faith, prayer, and vigilance.Let this painful episode renew our commitment to defend the Eucharist, to honour the sacred, and to live out our faith with courage.
May divine justice prevail. May the Lord restore what has been desecrated. And may those responsible be brought to account,KSM surmised.
