The King County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that a thief (or thieves) broke the 7th Commandment not once – but twice – when someone stole two tabernacles from Burien’s St. Bernadette Catholic Parish recently.
Police say that the first theft occurred sometime between Thursday, Sept. 1, and Friday, Sept. 2. That sacred tabernacle was originally purchased when the church was built in 1960.
original-Tabernacle
The second tabernacle was stolen sometime between 7 p.m. Saturday night (Sept. 3) and 8 a.m. Sunday morning (Sept. 4). This item was purchased in memory of a long-time parish family when the church made interior changes in 2003-2004.
Newer-Tabernacle
Both tabernacles are worth between $10,000 – $15,000 each, the church said.
“In the Catholic Church, tabernacles are very sacred items in which the Body of Christ is stored,” Parish Administrator Diana Mastandrea told The B-Town Blog. “Consecrated hosts were in the second tabernacle when it was stolen.”
It is unknown how the suspect got into the church, and there was no sign of forced entry in either case.
If anyone has an information about this theft, please contact the King County Sheriff’s Office at 206-296-3311.
St. Bernadette Parish is located at 1028 SW 128th Street (map below) in Burien:

(Tip o’the hat to Ed Dacy for this news tip!)]]>

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24 replies on “Two tabernacles – worth $10-15K each – stolen from Burien's St. Bernadette Parish”

  1. Somebody’s going to hell for this, if I catch them I will help make that happen. Only junkies steal from churches and will do what they can to crush it into unrecognizable pieces before trying to sell it for scrap to feed their lowlife existence. D-Bags for sure.

      1. Someone steals from a church and your concerned about consequences / punishment?
        Would you rather take them in, feed and house them and hug away their crimes as your way of righting this wrong, get a grip and realize the Bible allows for due punishment.

        1. You sound like you’re trying to be just like Jesus! My dad was deacon at this church before his passing. I’m sure he would have wanted them to be punished too, but to say you would help them to hell shows no compassion and makes you a hypocrite if you claim to be a Christian.

          1. I never said I’m a Christian, but I do believe in swift and severe righteous punishment for crimes against the church.

    1. Could not agree more. Some junkie probably stole these items, will turn them in for cash for drugs. How sad to desecrate a church like that. No morals, they will surely burn in hell. I do hope these can be recovered but highly unlikely. Indeed, big D-bags!!!

  2. What are the boxes made of? What makes them worth so much? $10,000 to $15,000? I truly hope all the donations my family has given during the 9 years I went to this school went to a greater cause.

  3. How sad that someone is so desperate that they steal from a church, I bet they won’t try selling them on Craigslist.

  4. Just a few( pagen ) items stolen. Jesus Christ has risen and we no longer need rituals & idols of paganism!! Ya. He is the way the light the only answer.

    1. Ctac, read John 6:22-59. The eucharist and Jesus’ real presense in the eucharist are teachings instituted by Christ. Its not a Pagan teaching, but Christ’s own teaching.

          1. Well no offense but I don’t read the bible or follow any religion I do believe there is a god. I was just wondering what religious background you came from. I could tell with are previous conversations on cannabis you follow some type of religion. I was just wondering which one but it’s no big deal.

          2. Jimmy – one can find a good reason for opposing the smoking of weed, as well as introduction of pot stores in Burien, without involving religion. Public health, for instance. As well as not wanting a proliferation of some (but not all) dope smokers slouching toward the gateway of worse, harder drugs.

          3. Slow down your over thinking my comments. All it is I could tell you come from a religious background. I never said that’s why your against cannabis.
            If your against cannabis that’s fine that is your own choice like your choice of practicing a religion is your own choice.
            Most people that have different religions don’t agree with one another completely ether.
            I my self know that I smoked cannabis for about 20 years now other than in my high-school experimental stages of life. I don’t use any hard drugs or have never felt addicted to cannabis.
            The whole gateway drug is a bit tricky because say your a high-school student and smoke pot and you go to friends party or some get together and some other student knows you smoke pot and that person has other drugs.
            They might offer you some because they know your not a cop and your at a party. But it is up to you to indulge or not. You can tell them no thank you I just smoke pot and walk away.

          4. I have a question for you peter how is some religions offer there followers a sip of wine even young children and they feel that is fine. When there are so many issue with alcohol abuse in the world.
            But these same religions are against cannabis. Some are even against forms of cannabis that don’t have a high connected to them like cbd oil’s or hemp seed edible product’s.
            Then there are simple question to ask yourself
            How much money do you donate to your church.
            what type of home and vehicle do you live and drive in.
            What type of home and vehicle does the head of your church lives and drives in.

    2. So stealing is okay with you C-tac? If you don’t believe in what someone else believes in, it is okay to steal from them. Forget those ten commandments, that’s just more pagan twaddle, to you.
      My point is this C-tac, people find ways of keeping themselves and their families living peaceably with one another. If there is more than one way to do so, who are we to find fault with the faith that holds another together. Much less to steal from them.

  5. What are the odds the thief(s) hid in the shadows at closing time and we’re missed during the pre lockup sweep? D-Bags, Junkies and their ilk can be crafty at times.

  6. Very sad news. The Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ has most likely been discarded in an unsacred manner. It is time to pray harder for our community. We also need to pray for those that stole Jesus and for those who don’t understand why this crime is so horrible.

    1. What a tragic ending to the Gospel Narrative, Jesus having overcome both Death and Hell only to have a crushing blow dealt to His redemptive cause in Burien Wa, Millions of Christians worldwide pack it in and return to lives of sinful indulgence, Jesus is presumed to have been melted down and turned into decorative dental adornments seen in popular rap music video featuring the phenomenon “twerking” .

  7. I really hope that whoever took them will realize they are not going to be able to pawn them and will return them. I bet they could leave them at any church in Burien and they’d be taken home. No church has so much extra nowadays that they can afford replacing something like this….

  8. I too would like to know what makes them worth that much. I also went to that school and dont really remember the gold one but the first one was just wood and like stained glass I thought?I cant see even a church leaving out something worth 10k and 15k with no security measures especially in that location.U read someone just got killed on 128th and 21st?This church is 128th and ambaum..

  9. Anyone wondering why this church did not have these items in a safe or in a viewable locked case secured to its location.
    In a neighborhood like 128th and ambaum not the best place for a 10k or 15k item to be out in open.

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