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
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