By 
A FORMER Greencastle priest has expressed his dismay after the church in his new parish was ransacked earlier last week.
Fr Edward Gallagher became hugely popular in his Tyrone parish during the coronavirus pandemic.
He visited different areas of the parish on pilgrimage, while his ‘Virtual Church’ initiative involved streaming Masses on social media to thousands of people, with local families tuning in together.
Fr Gallagher is now based in Moville, Co Donegal, where the local St Columba’s Church, Ballinascrae was targeted by robbers on Monday.
The priest said he received a call from the the police that the sacristy had been broken into and intruders attempted to remove a safe from a wall.
He said it was incredibly sad that the sanctuary of the church had been “defiled” in this way.
“No money is kept in the church, but drawers were opened, things were thrown about the place and a door smashed open,” he said.
Fr Gallagher said it was even more concerning that a number of burglaries on homes had also been reported in the area.
“I’m more worried about the parishioners who awoke in the morning to se their homes had been robbed.
“Children’s Christmas presents were taken and birthday money was taken from a house. This was an evil thing inflicted on people.”