Boston Catholic Churches Hit Several Times By Vandals In Last Month

BOSTON (CBS) – Several Catholic churches in Boston have been the target of vandals in the last month and police need help finding who's responsible.

The most recent incident was reported Wednesday evening at St. Gregory's in Dorchester after a red substance had been splashed on a Virgin Mary statue. It was the fourth time that's happened there in the last month.

"It hurts to think anyone could do that," said Sheila O'Donnell, former parishioner at St. Gregory's.

Two other churches, both in Hyde Park, have also been vandalized.

"It has to be hate, why else would anyone do that?  If you love your church you wouldn't do that," said Marcia Thomas, parishioner at Most Precious Blood.

Back on March 11, police say someone tossed a red substance on a statue at Most Precious Blood Church on Maple Street and on a bench in front of St. Anne's on West Milton Street.

"The first time it happened we thought it was a silly prank and hopefully next day they would come to their senses and realize it was mean spirited.  But when it happens two , three, four times it's more hateful," Rev. Jack Ahern said.

Two days later, officers were called back to St. Anne's after an "unknown red substance" was found on a statue in front of the church.

"The victim further stated a parishioner notified him of a prior, unreported incident in which an unknown black female entered Most Precious Blood Church during closing and attempted to spray an unknown substance on the statues inside of the church," police said in a statement Thursday. "The unknown female, when confronted, stated that she was just praying before exiting the church and leaving the scene in a white sedan."

There have been no arrests in any of the incidents.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Boston Police Civil Rights Unit at 617-343-4527.

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• Boston Police