Church Arson in Northern New York

[pm1853]

Police have gathered arson evidence, including a carving knife left at the scene of a fire that damaged the inside St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Potsdam. Potsdam Police are asking anyone who might have seen anything suspicious at or near the church late Wednesday afternoon to contact their office at 265-2121. Police and fire investigators say an accelerant was used to start the blaze sometime between 3:30 and 5:40 p.m. inside the historic sandstone structure. The quick response of local firefighters prevented the flames from spreading beyond the church’s altar. However, there was considerable smoke and soot damage inside the ornate building. Church officials said they will still hold worship services on Sunday, as scheduled.

This ridiculously long link will take you to the story, which is just the blurb listed above.

74.6.239.67/search/cache?ei=UTF-8&p=arson+potsdam+catholic+st.+mary&y=Search&fr=yfp-t-100&u=www.valley961.com/news.htm&w=arson+potsdam+catholic+catholics+st+mary&d=SxFYEULURwBb&icp=1&.intl=us

Please keep these people in your prayers. The pastor’s (Fr. Giroux’s) father just died and his identical twin brother (also Fr. Giroux) is in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

 

[barb_finnegan]

Good Lord…

I used to work in a Catholic bookstore here in Central NY, so I think my former boss might know the parish and the priest.

I hope the police find who did this…