Scottish Catholic Observer

Canon Peter Gallacher, parish priest of Christ the King Church in King’s Park, Glasgow, found a man in the church with a bottle of what appeared to be tonic wine late on Tuesday afternoon.

Canon Gallacher asked the man to leave, as he had set off the alarm protecting the church’s sanctuary.

A spokesman for Glasgow Archdiocese said: “The man later appeared in the church car park before coming to the door of the clergy house. He used the processional cross which he had taken from the church to try to gain access, smashing the stained glass door and many ground floor windows.”

The spokesman added that ‘police were called’ and they ‘apprehended the man’ following further disturbance in the street.

“It was a very frightening moment,” Canon Gallacher said. “My guess is that it was not sectarian in motivation but almost certainly the result of alcohol or substance abuse.”

The canon noted that the parish did not have plans to close the church.

“We have no plans to close the doors of the church,” he said.

“Christ the King has a long and much-appreciated tradition of staying open during the day to allow people to pop in for a moment of prayer and reflection and that will continue.”

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said that a man had been arrested over the incident.

“Around 17.15 hours on January 16, police were called to a report of a disturbance at Roman Catholic parish of Christ the King, Carmunnock Road, Glasgow, where several windows were broken,” the spokesperson said. “A car parked nearby had also been damaged.”

28-year-old James McCusker appeared in court on January 17 charged with breach of the peace, theft and vandalism, where he made no plea.

He has been committed for further examination and granted bail.