Vandals Destroy Statues Outside Catholic Church



Mike O'Mara is a college classmate of mine. This is an inner city parish in downtown Indianapolis. It is a poor Hispanic parish. I hope that the local parishes down there would consider pitching in the money to repair the church (in many ways symbolic of the sort of welcome US Catholics are giving to Hispanic immigrants).



From The Indianapolis Star:



"Two life-size statues were toppled at St. Mary Catholic Church, 317 N. New Jersey St., between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, causing about $5,000 in damage, according to police and the Rev. Michael O'Mara, church pastor.



The head of the St. Joseph statue, which stood at the top of the concrete steps leading to the church, was found in the street early Wednesday by a passer-by, who notified police.



A statue of Mary in front of the rectory also was knocked over.

'As much as I felt hurt for myself, I felt hurt for the people who did the damage,' O'Mara said. 'Perhaps they had anger over something or were drinking, but they acted in an inappropriate manner.'

The church was built in 1912, though the parish community dates to 1858.



O'Mara said the deductible on the church's insurance is $5,000, and he doesn't know where he will find the money to repair or replace the marble statues."