Mural In Denver Church Controversy Is Defaced

DENVER (CBS4/AP) - Denver police say someone spray-painted the Spanish word for "enough" on a Roman Catholic church mural of the Virgin Mary that has been at the center of a dispute since the parish priest had a wall built to block the mural from view.

Police were notified about the vandalism on Friday.

The mural is behind the altar at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. The parish priest says he had the wall erected because the mural drew attention from the Blessed Sacrament in the altar.

"They want to take the mural down cause they want Christ in the middle," parishioner Tanya Garcia said. "People that come to church don't come to listen to the word, they come to protest."

The wall angered some parishioners, who have asked for it to be removed. Church officials have said parishioners who wanted to see the mural could still do so because a gap of several feet separated the new wall from the artwork.

The protesters have created a website called wouldjesushidehismother.com. They say the mural has been inspiration to the community for more than 30 years.

Father Miguel Guzman says church leaders covered the mural not to cause controversy, but to make the church compliant with catholic liturgy.

"The Church requires that Jesus has to be at the center," Guzman said.

The Archdiocese of Denver, and the group protesting the mural didn't return calls from CBS4.

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