Posted on 12/20/2006 8:41:52 AM PST by Alex Murphy
Police are trying to link a black sweatshirt found on the rooftop of Stewartstown Presbyterian Church to the culprits who used a nylon rope to hang a plastic statue of the Virgin Mary from an overhanging light fixture.
The sweatshirt was most likely used to hide the 21Ú2 foot statute from view when it was stolen from a home on Sycamore Lane, a few blocks away from the church, said Stewartstown Police Chief George Cunningham.
The sweatshirt was found on the roof and was not there a few weeks ago when church officials inspected for leaks, he said. Based on the size of the sweatshirt, Cunningham believes teenagers or children were involved.
"It was a prank, but it is also malicious. It's sacrilegious. It's serious," Cunningham said.
The desecration of the religious icon occurred sometime between 11 p.m. Sunday and 8 a.m. Monday. The statue of the Virgin Mary, holding the baby Jesus, was tied to a light post hanging from the southeast corner of the church, 15 College Ave.
Early Monday morning, the Rev. Robert LaForce climbed to the roof and cut the statue down. He was concerned that the hanging statue would frighten children who use an educational facility inside the church.
Cunningham believes the culprits used a ladder because there was no way to scale the 20-foot-high church wall and there were no signs of entry into the church.
Police have few other leads, but Cunningham said he believes that the "better kids" in town will come forward with information.
Ann Van Dyke, a civil rights investigator with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, said this is only the second time in her 27 years that she heard of the desecration of a Virgin Mary statue. She said the culprits committed institutional vandalism, a third-degree felony.
Institutional vandalism carries more severe fines and penalties than vandalism because it involves the desecration of a venerated object - or honored or holy object - which outrages the sensibilities of those who observe the act, she said.
"Oh, this is very disturbing. It's always very hard, very demoralizing, on the members of that congregation," Van Dyke said.
Ann Van Dyke, a civil rights investigator with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, said this is only the second time in her 27 years that she heard of the desecration of a Virgin Mary statue. She said the culprits committed institutional vandalism, a third-degree felony.
Institutional vandalism carries more severe fines and penalties than vandalism because it involves the desecration of a venerated object - or honored or holy object - which outrages the sensibilities of those who observe the act, she said.
I'm guessing that might get bargained down to a really, really sincere apology.
"Oh, this is very disturbing. It's always very hard, very demoralizing, on the members of that congregation," Van Dyke said.
Man, we Christians are delicate little flowers, aren't we?
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Appears to be part of the liberal PCUSA. http://www.donegalpby.com/churchwebpages.php
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