Middletown – The two women sat praying at opposite ends of the all-night chapel yesterday when the man in the clear plastic cape came in and shattered the silence of the dawning day.
"Don’t look at me," police say he shouted at one of the women after snatching a leather-bound Bible from her hands. His face also was covered in clear plastic. He dropped the Bible – it apparently wasn’t what he was looking for – and took the other woman’s bag before he fled.
Police say he wanted money. What he got was a handful of prayer cards and a few dollar bills collected from people who asked that a candle be lighted for a sick friend or relative.
It was over in less than two minutes. No one was hurt. But the crime at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church sent shudders through a community that sees the church as its sacred center.
…For others, though, the robbery won’t scare them off.
"I wouldn’t hesitate to come," said Christine Sacchi, who attended midday Mass with four of her seven children. "I think maybe my husband and I should make the extra effort to come."
"It’s such a beautiful thing to have all-night adoration," she added. "Given what we do here, I think we should pray for the man." [Source]
