It was a big surprise for Father John Horgan with Saint Pius X Catholic Church in Deep Cove to see a major part of their Christmas nativity scene missing on New Year’s Day.
The 22-inch figurine of Baby Jesus appears to have been stolen sometime between 10 o’clock on New Year’s Eve and 7 o’clock the next morning.
Father John says the manger is 60 years old and was used for many years at St. Vincent’s hospital on Heather Street in Vancouver.
“It was the first time that we have set it up here at St. Pius outside the door to welcome people at Christmas time, so it was a great shock to have the figure of the Christ child taken this way,” says Father Horgan.
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Richard De Jong with North Vancouver RCMP says they have received the report of theft on January 1.
He says their officers attended and checked the area to see if the figurine have been discarded, but the search turned up nothing.
De Jong says while the figurine does not carry a significant monetary value, it has a lot of sentimental value.
“Certainly it is a concern for the parishioners,” he says. “They would like to see baby Jesus returned. I think it is the right thing to do for someone who has it.”
Father John says they just want baby Jesus back where he belongs.
“Please bring the figure back, you can leave it in the middle of the night, no question asked. We would be very grateful to get our figure of the Christ child back so that we can use it again in years to come and people can find in it the true meaning of Christmas.”
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