Bisbee Catholic community in disbelief after cross stolen from church altar

BISBEE, Ariz. (KGUN) — Parishioners at St. Patrick's Catholic church who attended last Monday's morning mass said they swear the cross still stood at the main altar at the time.

But sometime in the afternoon, it went missing.

The cross is as old as the church itself, which was consecrated in the fall of 1917.

“I was wishing they had just took it to polish it,” joked retired priest and parish volunteer Joseph Saba.

Saba grew up in Bisbee and attended mass at St. Patrick's as a boy. He even earned his priesthood at the church in 1974.

“The sisters would bring us in here and we would look at that exact place up there with the cross," he said pointing to the altar. "So I certainly remember it, and many other people do.”

During the interview with KGUN 9, parishioners visiting the church noticed the empty nook for the first time.

"Oh my goodness, where is our cross?"

“It’s part of this church which is part of the history of the Catholics here, and the history of Bisbee," Tom Shilling, another church member, said. "It’s just something that hopefully doesn’t get destroyed or melted down.”

As of Sunday, there are no leads on the missing cross.

Church Office Manager Benjamin Saenz said St. Patrick's does not have security cameras installed due to cost, but the theft is causing them to reconsider.

“We have to follow and give mercy to anyone who has taken it," Saenz said. "So, hopefully they can find the wherewithal to return it back in the same condition they found it.”

Saba said he hopes people won't forget to love and forgive, even in this unfortunate circumstance.

“Especially in this time and day and age with all the things going on in the world, the wars and the fights…this is a minor thing," he said. "But for people in our community, it’s pretty important.”