A student at the University of Central Florida stole a communion host, upset that student fees for the public university are going to support religious institutions. When he tried to take it without consuming it at communion, he was stopped (he says forcibly), but he put it in his mouth and recovered it later.
I'm not sure the student understands the seriousness of what he's done. Basically, he's desecrated the Eucharist. And a secular person (which I assume he is) is not going to appreciated the magnitude of that. Even a religious person who is not Catholic might not fully understand.
Of course, such disrespect falls on his own head and hurts only him; Jesus is not helpless, nor can he be harmed by sacrilege. Well, I suppose the community can be harmed by the bad example, but it can also be edified by gaining an increased appreciation for the Eucharist and rallying around the cause.
I am reminded of Uzzah in 2 Sam 6:7 who touched the Ark of the Covenant when he wasn't supposed to and was struck dead. How much more do we need to be mindful of the Holy Eucharist and maintaining respect for it. "A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep." (1 Cor 11:28-30) The Eucharist is serious stuff. (Perhaps there is a lesson here to all of us not to take it so cavalierly.)
So the big concern here is for his soul and convincing him to give it up and stop committing sacrilege.
(Thanks to Amy M.)
(See good news/bad news followup)
I saw an abbreviated version of this story on Headline News this morning and a picture of the host in question in a plastic bag and yellowed with age and this young man's spittle. Now that I think about it, it is amazing by the Grace of God that this does not happen a lot more.
If it's returned, I don't envy the priest who has to consume it ... or maybe I suppose you could dissolve it in water and pour it down the sacrarium, I'm not sure.
I have a better idea -- it may be too small but maybe you could work something out, use it for Adoration. You know, as a way to counteract the sacrilege: You desecrated this Host, but we will adore it. You could turn it into a lasting reminder of the event, a rallying point and object of devotion. Who knows, maybe it might even turn into a Eucharistic miracle — there was one other Eucharistic miracle like this where hosts were stolen and dropped into a poorbox, and many centuries later they remain fresh and incorrupt.