Posted on 08/14/2008 8:51:33 AM PDT by Pyro7480
This time it was a vandalism on a Catholic Church, St. Michael's, in Georgetown. "Thieves broke into St. Michael the Archangel in Georgetown last weekend, tore the tabernacle from the wall, took it outside and threw it on the ground. Communion wafers were scattered around, and a chalice and monstrance were stolen." "Inside, screens on the parish hall were cut, stands that held memorial candles were overturned and donation boxes were broken into."
There is a special ritual, "Reconciliation of a Desecrated Church", that needs to be performed before the Church can be used again.
The suspicion is that it was done because the person was looking for money.
"I would think for the folks at St. Michael there is the sense of being violated," said the Rev. Thomas Flowers of St. Polycarp in Smyrna. "To have the tabernacle vandalized is a deep spiritual wound." According to Fr. Flowers they will offer a special prayer for forgiveness & reconcilitaion after a 7 p.m. Mass at St. Polycarp on Friday for St. Michael's.
Having had vandals start fires at 2 different parishes I have belonged over the years, I have to agree that it does leave you with a sense of violation. & I echo Fr. Flowers call for prayer for the parish & the vandal(s).
As an aside, while I was reading the article, it was clear that the person writing it wasn't Catholic.
Source: Doors closed at church hit by vandals
(Excerpt) Read more at al007italia.blogspot.com ...
Here's an article from today: GEORGETOWN: Desecrated church resanctified today
Catholic ping!
Delmarva ping!
Just FYI: I’ve pinged FReeper Gabz for this story, since it took place on the Delmarva peninsula. Members of that list, even non-Catholic, should be free to comment on this thread. Thanks!
I pray for comfort and peace for all that attend there.
With that kind of anger/damage money was not likely the reason. As a non-Catholic I feel great sadness that any one’s house of worship would be so violated.
Seems like even a non-believer with half a brain might think twice before doing this to a church, “just in case.”
Go to hell, go directly to hell, do not pass GO, do not collect $200!
“The suspicion is that it was done because the person was looking for money.”
Slashing the screens? Throwing around communion wafers? Profit was not the only motive.
The desecrations are happening more and more. In the past, the poor boxes were just ripped off the walls or the office was ransacked.
Is this a hate crime?
“Is this a hate crime?”
No. It’s B&E, theft, vandalism, and desecration of a house of worship.
Hate crime statutes are too Communist, and too politically oriented to advance an tolitarian agenda. I wish the whole concept would disappear.
Geez. Duh.
totalitarian not tolitarian
Thank you FRiend!
Drunk/stoned hedonists in action.
They spat on Him when He was alive; today is no different. We should remember to pray for those who perpetrated this vicious attack and ask our Lord for His mercy.
It is a fascinating study of a mind in such pain that they would lash out at a house of worship. Note, they did not attack the parishoners, they attacked the building and objects so that somehow they were going to “hurt god” for not agreeing with [insert life choice here] or blaming for [insert life event here].
How does one hurt forgiveness?
Notice they went for the Tabernacle and consecrated hosts. Do you see a pattern here? First it was the young FL student who "held a host hostage" until his demands were met. This was followed by the MN professor Myers who hammered a rusty nail through a consecrated host.
Sounds like the church vandalism might have been done by a radical gay group in protest against the Church’s stand on homosexuality. Just a thought.
you can bet if crosses or burkhas were being burned or nooses were being hung this would be national news.
I'd rather lay hands on them.
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