‘UNSETTLING’ CHURCH ATTACKS
Acts of vandalism keep happening at places of worship
Two more Catholic churches in Boston have been vandalized yet again, an “unsettling” pattern of incidents that police are investigating.
Both Dorchester’s St. Teresa of Calcutta Church and Southie’s St. Monica-St. Augustine Church recently had their locks damaged on the same night, and a statue of the Virgin Mary was toppled at Saint Monica’s.
“It’s a sacred house, and it shouldn’t be damaged,” said Rich Gribaudo of Saint Teresa’s, adding, “It’s unsettling.”
Boston Police officers on Friday at 6:30 a.m. responded to St.Teresa’s and St. John Paul II Catholic Academy in the area of 800 Columbia Road. An unknown substance — some sort of sealant or putty — had been found on several door locks, preventing people from using keys to unlock the church and school building.
Then 90 minutes later, officers responded to another vandalism call at St. Monica’s. The same unknown substance had been found on all four door locks of the church, and a statue of the Virgin Mary had been knocked over. The same statue had also been toppled a week earlier, but that the incident had not been reported.
A church volunteer was helping repair the statue at St. Monica’s on Sunday.
Police are now looking for help in identifying a male suspect, whose image was captured on security cameras at the churches.
“We’re guessing it might be the same guy,” said Gribaudo, the business manager at St. Teresa’s. “It looked like he knew exactly where he was going, which leads you to believe he might be the same guy.
“We’re praying for him, and hope he gets the help he needs,” Gribaudo said. “It’s sad.”
This is the sixth time that St. Teresa’s has been targeted by vandals since July.
On July 12, and again on July 16, a trash barrel was emptied and placed over a statue of the Virgin Mary. The first incident occurred during the same overnight period when a statue of the Virgin Mary was torched a mile away at St. Peter’s Parish, also in Dorchester.
On three occasions in January, trash and eggs were thrown against the doors of St. Teresa’s. This was the second time in a week that a statue was knocked over at St. Monica’s.
The Catholic Action League called the incidents “appalling, senseless and malevolent crimes, which will continue as long as no one is apprehended and punished.”