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‘Come to us, and we will try to help’: Priest offers forgiveness to those who stole donation box

Father James Bell.
Father James Bell.

A parish priest in Inverness is calling on anyone in need to come to see him – rather than break into a donation box kept in the church.

Father James Bell, of St Mary’s in Huntly Street, said hundreds of pounds has recently been stolen in a break-in that also caused more than £100 damage to the church.

In spite of this, he invited anyone who was in need to come to the church and ask for help, as “the door is open to help anyone in need”.

Police are currently investigating the theft, which happened between July 13 and 14.

Fear it was someone with an addiction

Father Bell said: “Someone had taken a tool to the donation box, and then they left it behind and took off with the money.

“I fear this was the act of someone with an addiction, God bless them. There is a huge problem in Inverness with people addicted to alcohol and drugs.”

St Mary’s Inverness.

While disappointed in the theft, Father Bell took the opportunity to remind people that the church was there to help those in need.

He said: “If people are in genuine need we will do offer lots of help.

“We can’t give people money – as we do not have much ourselves – but we can  help people get the help they need.

“We are here to help by listening and to refer people onto the best service for them.

“But either way, I would ask people not to do damage to the church. Instead they should come in and talk to me.

“We have charitable organisations such as St Vincent de Paul who we can call upon for those who are truly in need.

He added: “If people have addictions we can support them to find the correct help. As we have done so, often, in the past. Sadly, I have also taken many of the same people’s funerals.”

St Mary’s is still making its own recovery from the pandemic after its visitors from home and abroad were unable to come to church.

As such, it suffered from a lack of income with Father Bell making an earlier plea for help.

Doors are open once more

Since the restrictions have come to an end, the church is now “becoming very busy”, something Father Bell is grateful for.

Father Bell and parishioners at the steps of the church.

He said: “People have returned. There are a few souls who have disappeared, some who have gone elsewhere – but the tourists are back. And the doors are open again.

“We are a city centre church that depends on the income of the tourists,” he said.

“We are optimistic and getting more so every day about the recovery of the church.

“We have even added  a new service into our weekly worship.”

Father Bell said donations were always welcome to help aid the work of the church and could be made in person, into the newly reinforced collection box, or by cheque to RCD-Inverness St Mary’s.

St Mary’s is part of the Roman Catholic communion in the Diocese of Aberdeen, the church was established in 1827.

A police spokesman said: “Police received a report of a theft from a donation box at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Inverness which occurred between 7pm on Wednesday, July 13 and 11am on Thursday, July 14.

“Inquiries are ongoing.”

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