Posted on 04/14/2009 6:12:09 AM PDT by NYer
CALIFORNIA AVE. — Santa Monica Police are investigating an alleged hate crime after officials with St. Monica Catholic Church discovered a statue of the Virgin Mary beheaded shortly before Easter services commenced.
A priest found the 55-year-old marble statue, which stands on the corner of Seventh Street and California Avenue, decapitated around 5:45 a.m. on Sunday, spotting the head on the ground just a few feet away. The top of the statue was covered with a white plastic bag before service began.
“Even though it was a sad event, it didn’t take away from the joy of Easter and celebrating Christ’s resurrection,” Jason Farmer, the church spokesman, said. “The joy was still sustained and celebrated throughout the day.”
Police have not identified any suspects.
“Anytime a church or school is targeted, we look at it as a possible hate crime,” SMPD Lt. Darrell Lowe said. “In this case, since the vandalism was of a very important figure within the Catholic religion, we’re classifying it and investigating it as a hate crime.”
Authorities said they are not sure how the head was removed, but Farmer said that the top is not detachable.
The statue, which stands at about 5.5 feet tall and is mounted on a 3.5-foot-tall pedestal, was dedicated in 1954 in memory of Monsignor N. Conneally, who was the head of the church from 1923-1949.
The statue was vandalized in 2002 when both hands were taken off. The perpetrator was never caught, Farmer said.
The statue will be repaired and restored, Farmer said. A cost estimate was not available at presstime.
“The church considers it to be sad and there are certainly questions about why this was done,” Farmer said. “But our sadness is brief, especially in the celebration of Easter.
He said the church considers the incident as a challenge to be more welcoming and caring to those who are struggling or hurting in the community.
“What has happened to the statue is an invitation for us to live out a deeper, more profound love for others,” he said.
Anyone with information is urged to contacted the SMPD at (310) 458-8419.
melodyh@smdp.com
“I’m pointing out the misogyny of your post. I would not expect you to like it.”
You’re really stuck on womens’ rights, aren’t you? We’re not on that subject at all.
I haven’t mentioned women’s rights.
“But the misogyny just drips from a comment about how a FEMALE (gasp!) was involved.”
It’s plain you haven’t read what I’ve said.
Also, are you upset that God is masculine and directs us to go through a masculine mediator? I refer to I Timothy 2:5
Oh, I read it and you came through loud and clear.
Like I said, I did not expect you to like it.
“I haven’t mentioned women’s rights.”
You don’t have to. It comes out of everything you say.
Have you ever met the ones who say Mary was just a vessel?
It's creepy.
This is a great example of The Game. I didn't mean what I said...I didn't mean what I meant. No.
I meant what I didn't say, what YOU say I meant.
Riiiiiight.
Mark 3:31Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
33”Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
34Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” -NIV
“This is a great example of The Game. I didn’t mean what I said...I didn’t mean what I meant. No.
I meant what I didn’t say, what YOU say I meant.
Riiiiiight. “
I don’t understand talk like this.
Well, that sure proves one thing: the Bible contains words.
Perhaps the daynurse can explain it to you.
My bad. I re-read the article. It makes no mention of the statue itself being moved. Don’t know how I got that idea.
Yeah, it's a shame isn't it? It would be wasted on somebody unwilling to hear it.
Words don't mean a thing to those who ignore them. Your ignorance is duly noted. The Word of God is fruitless unless God is speaking, according to your train of thought...
Your religions indoctrination is also duly noted.
*********
2 Tim 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
1 Peter2: 4As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For in Scripture it says:
"See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame."[a] 7Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
"The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,[b]"[c] 8and,
"A stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall."[d] They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. -NIV
I have not ignored them, I have taken note of their failure to prove any point you've tried to make.
Petronski found without head
Now comes another personal attack. Like clockwork.
Ah, well.
The chief weapon seems to be personal attacks on me sprinkled with false claims of personal attacks from me.
Not really a proper weapon at all, is it?
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