Thieves Steal From Cash Box At Saint Paul Cathedral in Oakland
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Police are trying to figure out who stole money from Saint Paul Cathedral on North Dithridge Street in Oakland.
They say someone took the money out of boxes meant for prayer candles at the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.
St. Paul's Gothic structure towers over the Oakland neighborhood. At Wednesday's noon mass, parishioners were just learning that cash from the votive boxes had been stolen.
"It's really just a horrible thing to do," said one parishioner.
"It was probably someone looking for an easy way to find money," another parishioner said.
It is sad for parishioners who want to make that special prayer for themselves or others, because right now there are no votive candles at the church. The box that holds donations is badly damaged and is being repaired.
"I hope it doesn't stop them from keeping votive candles," said parishioner Marion Feeney. "I wanted to light one, but there's none there."
"(It's) a really sad thing," said Father Adam Potter. "Especially when you consider what those candles are and mean. It's a representation of people's prayers and their intentions thatg they light and make an offering to God."
It's believed that two burglars were involved. The hid inside the church, and following the Saturday evening mass, they pried open the cash box and fled.
The church is willing to forgive the burglars.
"To come and to apologize, not just to the church, but to the people, to come clean, it's really that reconciliation that bring peace," Potter said.
For now, parishioners appear willing to turn the other cheek. But their hoping that next time thieves will seek spiritual guidance of the church and not steal from the church.
