The bells appear to toll in mourning.
For the second time, a church in Queens has been vandalized. The New York Metropolis Police Division is looking for a suspect who was caught on video Saturday approaching a statue of the Virgin Mary and knocking it to the bottom.
“It is uncalled for; you do not anticipate this,” parishioner Catherine Murphy instructed Information 4.
The incident befell at St. Rita Church, situated at 36-25 eleventh Road in Lengthy Island Metropolis. Parishioners celebrated the church’s one hundred and twenty fifth jubilee on Wednesday, however with outrage over the assault.
“It is surprising, as a result of we stroll by right here and we do not know who’s standing subsequent to us to do the harm they simply did to the church, coming right here to do harm merely for the sake of it,” stated Carmen González, a parishioner.
Has this occurred earlier than?
Police have labeled the incident as a hate crime, with a process pressure now investigating. But it surely’s not the primary time it has occurred.
Final November, it’s unknown if the identical particular person vandalized a picture of Saint Anthony and left writing on the ground.
This has created pressure amongst those that frequent the church.
“It’s really regrettable for us believers that the picture of the Virgin Mary was attacked in such a grotesque means,” stated César Colindres. “In fact, it impacts us, and seeing these acts of violence is really terrible.”
In response to a priest from St. Rita’s, it’s disconcerting that folks might perform an assault of this sort.
Concern grows over assaults on the Catholic religion
For now, indignation is rising throughout the neighborhood, which doesn’t perceive how the religion is being attacked on this means, particularly in a parish with so many neighborhood outreach applications.
“These are children who don’t imagine in God and others who’re hooked on medicine, why would they hurt the church?” stated Margarita, a neighborhood parishioner.
