Vandals Damage Statues At Brockton Church
BROCKTON (CBS) – Police are searching for the vandals who defaced four statues at a Brockton church.
"I'm not angry," Father Joe Raeke said. "I'm just profoundly sad."
Black and white paint defacing four statues outside Saint Edith Stein Church casts a shadow of sadness over the Brockton parish.
"This church here we have close to 2,000 people who come to worship here and the statues inspire them and give them comfort," Father Joe said.
With a heavy heart Father Joe looks at the damaged statues. Three of them sprayed black and a fourth dumped with white paint sometime Monday into Tuesday morning.
Father Joe says a marble statue of Jesus was even recently restored for an Eagle Scout project.
"He spent literally thousands of dollars and lots of other scouts helped him with it," Father Joe said.
The church is no stranger to vandalism. It's been a year since a man broke a window and smashed stuff inside.
Parishioner and alter server Arielle LaForest also stopped by the church Tuesday night checking to see if her pastor was OK.
"I forgive you for what you've done but I'm still kind of upset you felt like you had to do that you know," Arielle said.
Father Joe echoed her message of mercy.
"We need to be praying for those people who would do something like this rather than be angry at them," Father Joe said.
Parishioners are already coming forward to offer to pay for the cost of the cleanup.