Relics stolen from Missouri church returned

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Nine relics stolen from a Missouri Catholic parish are back with the church.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis says a parishioner of Ste. Genevieve Catholic Church called the Rev. Dennis Schmidt to the back of the building Monday morning to point out a plastic bag containing the missing relics, or material remains of Catholic saints.

An attached note expressed remorse for taking the items, and it asked for forgiveness.

The relics had been with the parish since the 1920s through the 1940s, brought back to Missouri from trips to Rome.

Crews last saw the relics while preparing for Christmas mass. When cleaning crews returned on Jan. 4, the relics were missing.

Ste. Genevieve is about 50 miles south of St. Louis.