News of the terrifying and traumatic robbery and assault suffered by a priest at St Peter's Cathedral in west Belfast has caused enormous shock in the area.
Fr Peter Carlin, who is in his fifties, was threatened and attacked by two men, one of whom was believed to have been armed with a firearm, who broke into the presbytery on Monday night.
This appalling assault and the robbery of collection cash was bad enough, but it was not the end of the cleric's frightening ordeal.
After leaving him with minor injuries, the raiders locked him in a room and it was more than 12 hours before he was able to free himself, at 10 o'clock the following morning.
Fr Carlin was left understandably shaken and distressed by this violent onslaught and required medical attention for his injuries.
It must be hoped he makes a full and speedy recovery but it is also essential the police quickly apprehend the ruthless criminals responsible for this incident.
A spokesman for the Down and Connor diocese pointed to the disturbing and deeply concerning ``level of organisation and aggression'' involved in this crime.
Unfortunately, high levels of crime are not unknown in the area around the cathedral.
And although church authorities have taken steps to ensure large sums of money are not kept on parish property, vicious robbers will go to any lengths to steal even relatively small amounts of money.
It has to be said that it is not just in west Belfast that clergy have been targeted recently.
On Saturday two priests in Omagh were thankfully unhurt after intruders entered the parochial house in Brook Street and made off with a sum of money.
There is no suggestion of a link between these crimes, however anyone with information about those involved should come forward to police as a matter of urgency.
