Bishop Ochoa asks for items stolen from his car in Los Banos to be returned

FRESNO, California (KFSN) -- Bishop Armando Ochoa had his Crosier, or wooden staff, stolen along with other religious items when someone broke into his car while he was eating lunch at M&M's Restaurant in Los Banos on Sunday.

"It looks like a shepherd's staff-- it looks like a big giant cane but it was wood. But it was given to me five years ago when I came here as Bishop. It's the symbol of the authority of the Bishop."

The head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno was in the area to perform two confirmation masses that afternoon. The bishop had the objects with him to be used to celebrate the sacraments.

"Also what was taken was what we call an Oil Stock of the Chrism-- the Chrism is used not only for confirmation, when I anoint but they also took my ritual which is literally the script that I need and so we downloaded the script," said Ochoa.

The wooden Crosier was presented to the Bishop five years ago when he was named Bishop of the Diocese-- and the oil stock was given to him 30 years ago.

"The Crosier was given to me by the people of God and it was something and so for sentimental reasons that little oil stock meant a lot to me," said Ochoa.

The Bishop is praying for a safe return and no questions asked.

"All you want to do drop my Crosier, drop these articles off at a church-- no questions asked."

No other vehicles in the parking lot were broken into that day.