The Rev. Thaddeus A. Saja of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in South Norwood expressed deep distress following an act of vandalism over the weekend that heavily damaged the marble statue of the Blessed Mother adorning the lawn of the church rectory. All of the fingers on both hands were broken off the imported marble figure. Describing the incident as an insane act, probably the work of someone who had lost control of their senses, either through alcohol or drugs, the priest lamented, We’ve had theft and fire before but never this… The entire community has been hurt by this destruction. It’s really sad that something like this could happen.
The Italian-imported statue, valued at approximately $3,000, had stood on the church grounds for 15 years. Rev. Saja noted that the parish’s large Polish population was especially heartbroken by the desecration, explaining that the Blessed Mother holds special significance for the Polish people, much like St. Patrick has special significance for the Irish. Concluding with a plea for community respect, he added, I hope that something like this never again happens in our community.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
Parishioners and teenagers at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Norwood successfully restored an 1874 Simmonds pipe organ through a cooperative community effort.
Tremont Street On November 5, 1954, the partially nude body of fifteen-year-old Geraldine Annesse was found in the garage of #13 Tremont Street. She had…
Amidst the commotion of a large church luncheon, the Rev. John Hamilton of the First Congregational Church of Norwood spoke about what it means to…
Preserved in the First Congregational Church’s historical room, cornerstone artifacts from past building eras highlight Norwood’s deep heritage as the town historical commission launches a…
St. George’s Syrian Orthodox Church presented plans to demolish its 1930s brick building and construct a $240,000 Byzantine-style structure at its Atwood Avenue location in…
Appeals Board Grants Variances for New St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church Building-September 1, 1976
The Board of Appeals unanimously granted two crucial building variances to St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church on Atwood Avenue, paving the way for the demolition…
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.