Flash: Thieves raid Archbishop's home while he is in Rome

Despicable:

A weekend that was set to be a glorious one for the Twin Cities' new archbishop as he traveled to Rome has coincided with a major crime at home, church officials learned Monday.

An overnight burglary at the residence of Archbishop John Nienstedt, leader of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, appears to have netted the thief or thieves the gem- and precious-metal-laden rings and crosses worn by bishops throughout the archdiocese's 150-year-plus history.

"These things are historically and reverentially irreplaceable," Dennis McGrath, spokesman for the archdiocese, said Monday. "They're beyond value."

Believed to be missing, as well, are rosaries and a small safe, he said, adding: "It's like a historical treasure trove, if you will." (Minn-St. Paul Star Tribune)

Things don't go well for those who steal sacred articles.