Church Burglary Dismays Parish : Crime: Thieves steal a bronze tabernacle, valued at $3,000, and its sacred contents. Police suspect at least two people are involved.

CANOGA PARK —  The theft of a bronze tabernacle and its holy contents from a Catholic church has left a parish in dismay and a pastor simmering with anger and sorrow.

“What breaks my heart is the desecration of the tabernacle,” said Father John D. Murray, pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church. “It was locked, so they probably smashed it open or pried it apart. They must have been disappointed when they opened it. The host just looks like bread.”

The bronze tabernacle, valued at more than $3,000, and its contents--blessed bread representing the body of Jesus Christ, served during the Holy Communion--was stolen by thieves who gained entrance to the locked, guarded parish hall during the night of Sept. 21.

They did not rush. The burglars left behind a pair of cigarette butts, apparently smoked as they raided the building of the tabernacle and other booty, including a classroom VCR bolted to the wall and several goblets and bowls sometimes used during services.

Police said Thursday that fingerprints left by the culprit--or culprits--turned up no leads. The total value of the goods stolen is estimated at about $3,500. But it is the loss of the tabernacle’s contents that has most deeply hurt Murray, who said he has difficulty grappling with the idea of the Eucharistic presence being toted around by thieves.

Police suspect that at least two people carried out the heist, because the tabernacle--a rectangular, cabinet-like chest about 10 inches tall, 16 inches deep and 20 inches wide--would be difficult for one person to haul away.

“It’s heavy,” Murray said. “It’s like a small safe, with doors that open with a key.”

Police don’t know how burglars gained entry to the hall, where services for the 2,000-family parish have been held since the January earthquake badly damaged the sanctuary on Gault Street. There was no sign of forced entry, broken windows or locks. Security guards patrol the grounds twice nightly.

Despite the loss, services have continued uninterrupted, thanks to a neighboring parish that lent the church a tabernacle.

Murray hopes the thieves will not try to sell the tabernacle and will leave it some place where it can be found.

“We keep the sacred host inside, the blessed bread we served to our sick parishioners,” he said. “We are all devastated. Our only consolation is that all things return to dust. God has a way of taking care of these things himself.”