Two parishes in the Diocese of Sacramento suffered similar acts of vandalism in the past two weeks.
On the weekend of April 17-18, three statues were vandalized outside Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Woodland. In photos sent by parishioner Duke Sancho to Catholic News Agency, what appear to be statues of Mary, St. John, and St. Mary Magdalene at the crucifixion scene are each disfigured with black spray paint covering the eyes.
Sancho said that a parish men’s fraternity and the pastor Fr. Jonathan Molina organized a project to clean the statues.
Elsewhere in the diocese, a statue of Mary was defaced with black spray paint at Saint John Vianney parish in Rancho Cordova. In an April 25 tweet, a parishioner posted a photo of a Marian statue with black paint covering the face, hands, and feet. A black cross was traced down the main body of the statue.
The parishioner wrote that the graffiti was removed with a slight lasting effect on the statue.
“Took some time. The chemical messed with the rock a little so you can see some changes to the rock where the paint was, but overall it’s cleaned up,” the parishioner wrote.
“We managed to get a group of about a dozen people or so to pray a rosary after mass in front of the statue in reparation,” his April 25 tweet read. “Would’ve loved to have more but I’m grateful for those that did stick around despite the cold and the slight sprinkling that started….”
The above comes from an April 27 story on the site of the Catholic News Agency.
Dumb vandals. The mask is supposed to be painted over the mouth and nose, not over the eyes.
All I can conclude when I see something like this is “well, we’re doing something right!”
Churches are seas of grey hair, 90% of people raised Catholic and are confirmed stop going to Mass, church weddings and baptisms have plummeted, Catholic schools are closing… maybe we’re doing “something” right but we’re not doing most things right.
Wonder what would happen if people were really expected to sell all their worldly goods and give the money to the poor and then follow Jesus.
Give it a try and find out.
Yes, Mr. Anonymous. Have you done that, or do you just want to lecture us?
I’m guessing many people would starve, become sick, and generally be miserable because that’s what destitution does to people.
Mark: “All I can conclude when I see something like this is ‘well, we’re doing something right!'”
I see it differently.
I think we’ll know we’re doing something right when blasphemers are too afraid to vandalize like this.
It’s an act of desperation, Juan. An irrational, incoherent, spittle flecked flailing. We’re winning, believe me.
It’s all okay. It was perpetrated against a white statue. The U.S. bishops must be pleased.
Diabolical.
What has happened to respect for property? No has respect for life, faith, or religious property. Just because you don’t believe doesn’t hive you the right to disrespect others.
Have you not seen how looting and property destruction has been justified as long as someone is doing it for the right reason? It’s every man for himself. Total breakdown of society.
The Church has to make clear to vandals, that if they damage or vandalize the Church, there will be a criminal complaint filed with the police, and if they are caught, they should go to jail. These people only understand force. Once it is clear to them, that they will be fined or go to jail, vandalism will abate. At present, the desecrators believe that “Ha, Ha, the Church will forgive us, and not call the police”, so they proceed without the slightest worry, “So what, ho, ho, no one will do anything, let’s just keep on painting statues…”.
Time for a change: If you damage a Church, you will face charges, and perhaps costs and jail time!”.