The following comes from a Mar. 27 story in the Daily Democrat.
Just as her son did in the Bible, the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been resurrected at Holy Rosary Catholic Church.
The statue of Mary – which has been missing since December 2009 when it was shattered by vandals – is now replaced. Parishioners pieced her back together and positioned her where she once stood along the Court Street side of the sanctuary this week.
Remolding the concrete statue is a miracle in and of itself; it was previously thought the damage was beyond repair.
The Holy Mother joins statues of a kneeling Mary Magdalene, John the Evangelist and Jesus hanging on the cross. All four figures – which have been there since the church was built in 1947 – have also received a fresh coat of paint.
Holy Rosary has experienced vandalism and theft in recent years, the most recent of which was in November 2010 when suspects broke into the parish office and stole money.
In December 2007, the faces of the statues were all spray painted black with the words “killer” painted on each of them. A utility box along the rectory wall was also set on fire causing minor damage.
A month before, thieves broke into the church and stole donation money collected on Thanksgiving after cutting a hole in the church’s safe.
Two years later, the Blessed Virgin statue – now back at the church – was dislodged from her post, pushed over and cracked. She was found face down, in front of the crucified Christ, red rose petals around her cracked and broken hands.
Vandals also entered the church sometime during the same time period and desecrated a Nativity scene, knocking down a 3-foot-tall statue of a shepherd, breaking off its head, reported the California Catholic Daily. The vandals also knocked down advent candles located at the church’s entrance.
A week earlier, someone entered the church and pushed over a statue of St. Joseph, cracking the base of the statue, the Catholic Daily said. The vandals stole St. Joseph’s staff in that incident.
To read the entire story, click here.
Read the 2009 story in Cal Catholic at time of vandalism here.
The greatest prejudice the world has ever seen, is against Catholicism. The world view wants us to think that the worst persecution has been against Jews, or , Blacks, or Indians, or Orientals, or Homosexuals, but it is wrong. The number one threat to the ways of the world is the Catholic Church, and it is against her that the fiercest wars have been raged. She has also been the most hatred institution the world has ever seen. These are the facts, which cannot be refuted.
This is the Church’s problem and when is it going to stop. A four-hour deposition of Archbishop John Nienstedt as part of a priest abuse lawsuit ended “abruptly” and “heatedly” Wednesday after lawyers representing an alleged victim urged the Roman Catholic archdiocese to turn over files of accused priests to law enforcement, the plaintiff’s lawyer said. Jeff Anderson, lawyer for a plaintiff identified as Doe 1, also said the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has not turned over all information it was required to disclose in the case. But Anderson said he would be turning over the information he has gathered and information from Nienstedt’s deposition Wednesday to law enforcement. Anderson also urged St. Paul police to execute search warrants to seize files on credibly accused priests that he said is being hidden or destroyed by the archdiocese.
So even if you are right, Father Karl, which I assure you you are not right, why is it that only the MOST persecuted peoples get recompense? Shouldn’t all peoples subjected to prejudice see justice, preferably within their lifetime? Is it only the first and greatest victims that deserve justice? Where does one find this teaching?
If I were the pastor of the church knowing the history of vandalism of the church, I would immediately invest in some security cameras. I would bet that it’s the same people doing the vandalizing.
The Holy Rosary Catholic Church needs to put a security camera around the premises, and we need to lot of prayer to prevent further vandalism or to catch the vandals. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy
Saint Michael the Archangel, protect and watch over Holy Rosary Catholic Church. May you make your presence known to these vandals so that they see themselves for what they are and repent for what they have done.
Maybe somebody doesn’t like these statues because they are so white and drab.
Perhaps the vandal is an art critic?
Laughing, and perhaps you are right. However, a true art critic doesn’t seek to eliminate bad art, but to expose it for what it is. Vandalism is not a good answer to bad art.
When they catch the criminals, will they be prosecuted for HATE crimes as well as vandalism?
Maybe. How often do catholics have eggs thrown at them as they walk down the street? Or get pummelled if they walk together on dark streets? Or get strung up cruciform on a fence in Wyoming?
Catholics are burned alive inside their churches, hacked down with machetes, persecuted and run our of their countries to this day. Did you know that,Fellow Catholic? Did you now that the Wyoming referenced crime was quite a spin case actually about drugs, not the victim’s sexual preferences?
Thank you for putting that out there, Barbara. There is always such a rush to say ….’it’s because he was gay,” as if there are no other issues in a person’s life or in a risky life style.
Speaking of which, it is a very risky life being Catholic/Christian in many countries around the world. It will be here too someday.
Barbara, I am aware of the crimes in other countries about which you are speaking. Because a crime exists in one country does not mean it should also exist in another. Even if the crime is worse in another country does not mean that it should exist in another. So just to be clear, are you saying that it is OK to throw eggs at people in the streets, or to jump and stab them on a street in California, or to get crucified on a fence in Wyoming? Are those things OK with you, or are they not?
Ask my Catholic friend Jim. Both Jim and I had a dozen or more eggs tossed at us as we stood praying outside a Sacramento abortion clinic. Yes, there is hatred for the righteous. Anyone following Jesus will wear his crown of thorns.
This Catholic and her Catholic friend Jim had a dozen or more eggs tossed at us while we were doing sidewalk counseling and prayer outside a local Sacramento abortion clinic. Yes, if you choose to follow Jesus, you will wear his crown of thorns or…have some eggs tossed in your direction by the bigots.
I agree with Joe. Most churches in my area have security cameras and extra lights at night to discourage any who have thoughts of doing vandalism ath our churches.