A priest is fighting for his life after being attacked by burglars when they broke into a Langa church where the priest had been sleeping. Picture: Brendan Magaar/Daily Voice A priest is fighting for his life after being attacked by burglars when they broke into a Langa church where the priest had been sleeping. Picture: Brendan Magaar/Daily Voice
Cape Town - A priest is fighting for his life after he was attacked during a burglary at his church in Langa.
Father Charles Prince was sleeping when criminals stormed into the mission house in Ndabeni Street and attacked him.
It is believed that the robbers jumped over the fence of St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church, and gained entry through the ceiling.
Church members say the thugs ransacked the church, and served themselves from the wine used for Holy Communion.
They also tried to steal the gold tabernacle, but it was too heavy for them to carry and they left it.
The criminals then broke down the door to the mission house, where Father Charles was sleeping, and brutally assaulted the holy man before making off with his laptop.
A member of the church, who asked not be named, says worshippers have been left traumatised by the attack.
“Police are dealing with the matter,” said the man.
“What we know for now is that there was a robbery and our priest was attacked.
“He sustained stab wounds to the head and nose.
“The robbers had ransacked the church before breaking down the door to gain entry to the priest’s mission house.
“The criminals even tried to steal the tabernacle, but it was too heavy for them.
“But we are happy that our priest survived the attack,” he adds.
“We have never experienced this kind of incident where priests are attacked.”
Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut said: “A case of robbery is being investigated.
“No arrest has been made yet.”
Daily Voice
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