Police say a burglary took place over the weekend at St. James Roman Catholic Church in Stratford.

Father Arthur Mollenhauer was not able to confirm how much was taken from the church, but says $8,000 to $9,000 is collected each week during Sunday Mass.

He says that money is used to benefit the church and the community.

Police say the church's doors were opened on Sunday and the safe was tampered with. Father Mollenhauer says it was successfully broken into and everything in it was taken.

“The money is used to fund all of our programs here at St. James, to cover the maintenance of the building, take care of the needy,” says Father Mollenhauer . “We do a lot of things for the poor here. Every week, we feed 80 people."

He says he plans to step up security at the church.

Details surrounding the burglary were not immediately available.