Local

Vandalism at Fredericksburg church

Ashleigh Buyers | Catholic Herald

A large rock was found among the shattered glass where a vandal or vandals had through it through the front vestibule window of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Fredericksburg April 23.

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A side door glass pane was shattered from inside the church.

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A large window pane near the entrance of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Fredericksburg was found shattered April 23.

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The window to the Parish Nurse office was found shattered along with two other windows at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Fredericksburg April 23.

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Prayers of mercy were sent on behalf of an unknown vandal or
vandals April 23 after it was discovered that three windows had been broken at
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Fredericksburg, one of them
from inside the church.

The vandalism was discovered when Father Colin P. Davis,
parochial vicar, opened the church at 5:45 a.m. for the 7 a.m. Mass. Upon
turning on the lights, he saw that the window near the church entrance had been
shattered by a rock which sat among the glass on the floor. A walk-through of
the church revealed a second broken glass pane on a door on the left side of
the church; authorities believe this one was damaged from inside the church. No
one was found in the church and nothing was taken. 

When Chris Lanzarone, sacristan, arrived at 6:45 a.m., he
inspected the church grounds. A window on the basement level of the parish
office also was shattered by a rock. He found three crushed beer cans in a
grotto dedicated to the Blessed Virgin in front of the church. According to Lanzarone,
the windows will be repaired soon. 

While many of the parishioners were disturbed by the vandalism,
the priests encouraged them to forgive the culprit. 

“It seems that Divine Mercy Sunday is a very fitting time for us
to forgive and pray for whomever it was that committed this act,” said Father
John P. Mosimann, pastor. “Our Lord didn’t wait for an apology from us, to call
us back to Him with love and mercy. May Our Lady help to heal the broken heart
from which this act came forth.”

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