The number of church burglaries have been growing over the last 12 years and in the past week parish priests are being urged to examine the installation of CCTV and security lights
Churches in rural areas are empty most of the day making the buildings vulnerable to attack
Irish Examiner journalist Anne Lucey says the issue is compounded as in some areas there are more churches than priests
"The advice in the last week or so to parishes is that they should review all security and put away all valuables. So we're almost back to the situation of the Round Towers, if you want to be flippant about, storing away chalices and stuff before the Vikings attack us"
