Posted on 08/24/2016 2:52:07 PM PDT by Morgana
BOWLING GREEN, MO (ChurchMilitant.com) - In early August, a self-proclaimed Wiccan Catholic smeared a local Bowling Green Catholic church with her own feces. On Monday, August 22, she was found dead in her apartment from an apparent suicide.
The local coroner, Jim Turner, has withheld the details of 54-year-old Linda Howard's death, only saying it looked like a suicide and that he would release details at a later date.
Howard, who vandalized St. Clement Catholic Church, told police she committed the act because she was angry with God. The parish priest, Fr. Bill Peckmen, posted a message on his Facebook page expressing his deep sadness following the reports.
A month ago I asked your prayers for the lady who was responsible for the desecration of our church. I just found out that she is dead. I am sick about it. I now ask you to pray for her and her family. I would respectfully ask that anything other than a comment that you praying be left unsaid. Thank you.
The feces had covered the statues in the church, the Blessed Sacrament, the sacred vessels and the Bible. The woman poured sacred oils on the floor and soaked the sacred linens in the church and vestments in the wine.
Howard confessed to local police that she was a parishioner. In early August, the local bishop, Bp. John Gaydos, performed a special rite of purification for the church.
A visiting priest discovered the vandalism when preparing to celebrate Mass early Sunday morning, July 24. The church had been kept open overnight so that people could pray in times of need.
Howard was caught when the local police were able to trace the vandalism back to her, following reports of her car seen in the parking lot the night of the crime. The perpetrator initially claimed she was at the church to light candles and pray, but following further examination, she eventually admitted to the crime.
Howard, who is a Wiccan, said that after vandalizing a few items, the rest of her time in the church committing sacrilege was a "blur."
God have mercy on her soul.
Did she know Hilda?
I would respectfully ask that anything other than a comment that you praying be left unsaid. Thank you.
In my experience, people who are angry at God tend to refuse to admit that they’re angry at God.
Actually admitting it tends to make it easier to repent and believe, not harder.
As for this poor deranged woman, one wonders how much it was anger and how much was despair.
I feel bad that someone can get so screwed up or screw themselves up. That all.
That’s all.
“A month ago I asked your prayers for the lady who was responsible for the desecration of our church. I just found out that she is dead. I am sick about it. I now ask you to pray for her and her family. I would respectfully ask that anything other than a comment that you praying be left unsaid. Thank you. “
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The author is referring to the people who left comments on this story.
Yes she thrashed the church. Yes there was damage. Yes the bishop had to come down and bless everything again. Yes it was a pain but this woman was sick and needed our prayers. That is not being a “wuss” that is being a true Christian. Now she’s dead. This is so sad it’s just beyond words.
“I feel bad that someone can get so screwed up or screw themselves up. That all.”
She’s just a drop in the bucket.
Age 54? Looks more like 84.
She was Mentally Ill. sad.
Very much so.
Article says she is 54. She looks a hard 70+.
There’s drink and drugs in that face along with the mental illness. Sad but to think of the awful damage that poor priest walked into that morning...!
Ditto what you said (even though I am not a Catholic). Seriously confused woman. Count your blessings.
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