Sad news arrived to us that the collegiate church of Cospicua was raided by undesirable intruders. This is not the first time such a thing happened.

More than 50 years ago, when I was attached to the parish of La Goulette, in Tunisia, we had an unpleasant visit to our church. One Sunday morning, I was on my way to open the church for Mass when I spotted a rope hanging from the organ balcony. I called the other priest and then reported it to the police.

The following day, I was walking near the breakwater when two men, who said they were policemen, asked me whether I had gone there to look for the offering boxes, which were found buried there.

Three days later, the thieves were caught on the way to Bizerte. The policemen brought them to the church to explain how they had made their way in.

They were sent to prison not only because of theft but also because they had touched the small curtain of the tabernacle. The Muslims know that the tabernacle is the most Holy place in a church.

It was neither the first nor the last time we had intruders in the church but they never touched the tabernacle except for the one time.