Devotees lodge report against mag for ‘spying’

By Bernard Cheah, The Sun

Two Catholics today lodged a police report against a magazine writer and his colleague (both non-Catholics) for taking part in a Catholic service and to "spy" on the church. 

Devotees Joachim Francis Xavier and Sudhagaran Stanley, who made the report in the Northeast District Police Headquarters this afternoon, were upset that the duo had violated the sanctity of the Holy Communion by taking part in the Holy Communion.

Xavier said the writer then wrote his experience in May 2009 edition of the magazine.

The "spying" allegedly occurred in a Catholic church in Kuala Lumpur in April.

"This is a dangerous precedent in the country where we aren’t allowed to worship freely as there are people spying on us during prayers and partaking in rituals.

"What if others go into Buddhist temples, Hindu temples and mosques and do something disrespectful?" asked Xavier.

"We are outraged that these men consumed the ‘white wafer’ during the Holy Communion, only to spit it out later for it to be photographed and have its imaged published in the magazine," he said, adding that the communion was restricted to Catholics who understand its significance.

Xavier urged the police to treat the matter seriously and to act.

When contacted, George Town OCPD ACP Azam Abd Halim declined to comment on the matter until he had viewed the report.

"We will investigate as long a report is lodged," he added.