Some of you may have heard recently about some “security concerns” with the adoration chapel at St. Gerard Majella, and I just wanted to give you a brief update to fill you in on what happened, especially to dispel any misinformation or rumors that might be floating around.

A few weeks ago, a young man entered the chapel a few times over several days, having been let in by someone else in the chapel, and inconspicuously wrote some messages in the prayer log available there. The messages were very vulgar and sacrilegious specifically against the Eucharist. A few adorers let me know what had happened, and we made the choice to temporarily lock the door leading to the chapel from the church, and to change the key code. Changing the code is a regular security measure usually taken every year or two, although it hasn’t been done for a while. Since these measures have been taken, we have had no further messages or issues with the chapel.

I think it’s important to say that the primary concern for changing the code and locking the door were not so much concern for safety as they were concern for the Eucharist, and potentially leaving the Blessed Sacrament unattended with this issue ongoing. The messages were not threatening against anyone specific or in general, as much as they were blasphemous and vulgar. Regardless, I did contact Kirkwood Police Department to let them know of the situation, and forwarded to them the security camera footage of the individual, in case it would be of interest. Officer Baldridge thought the measures we have taken were prudent, and didn’t believe there was any overt threat to anyone, but assured me that patrol officers would continue to swing by SGM as they make their usual rounds.

Access to the adoration chapel is an important part of the Eucharistic focus of our parish, and we hope to restore access to the adoration chapel from the church in the future. It has always been an option for adorers who are alone or feel uncomfortable to lock that door, and the option will remain that way. I would also encourage those who have the code to the chapel not to give it out to someone you don’t know, but simply refer them to the parish office.

Anytime something like this happens, it can be disturbing - it certainly was to me as I was reading some of the blasphemous and sacrilegious things that were written. But at the same time, the messages showed a real woundedness in this man’s heart, and I would encourage all of us to pray for him and for people like him who are far from Christ in the Eucharist.