Historic Catholic church in California vandalized; 231-year-old artifacts damaged

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SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Vandals have struck the historic Holy Cross Church in Santa Cruz, Calif., damaging 231-year-old artifacts and scrawling anti-church slogans in what is being investigated as a possible hate crime.

The Roman Catholic Parish of Holy Cross is the home of Mission Santa Cruz founded in 1791. It’s the 12th link in the chain of 21 Franciscan missions stretching from San Diego to Sonoma.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports (bit.ly/Jch8In ) the widespread damage was discovered Sunday morning.

The damaged items include a baptismal font brought to Holy Cross by the mission-system’s founder, Father Junipero Serra.

Windows were shattered by rocks and paint was splashed on doors, walls and statues of Junipero Serra and the Virgin Mary.

washingtonpost.com/national/historic-catholic-church-in-california-vandalized-231-year-old-artifacts-damaged/2012/05/08/gIQA49IRAU_story.html

I saw coverage on the local news last night, it’s actually pretty clear it was a hate crime.
 
I would like to say I hope those who did it rot it hell, but I will try to do as Jesus says to love them and pray for them. May God have mercy on them.
 
my bet is it that it was members of the occupy movement who widely infest santa cruz
 
Havard said:
The article says that incident took place in Portland, Oregon, so it’s very doubtful. I live about an hour north of Santa Cruz, and Portland is easily 10 hours north of me.
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Thanks for the correction. 🙂
 
Havard said:
Here’s the 231 year-old baptismal font they broke and vandalized:
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According to Father Occhiuto it weighs 400 pounds, so must have taken some effort to tip it over.

But despite the hardships that this vandalism causes, especially given the economy, Father Occhiuto is keeping a positive attitude
But amid all the destruction, there is good news. The minute parishioners heard about the vandalism, Father Occhiuto started getting calls of offers to help.
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“This is not going to set us back. We’ve been here for over 200 years. We’re going to be here for another 200,” he said.
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Father Occhiuto and the parishioners have cleaned up most of the damage. The church is under 24-hour surveillance and that is helping the police with their investigation
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abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8651969
 
A local resident has some additional details related to this crime
Graffiti read “This was made by slaves” and “No Cristo Aqui” (No Christ here.).
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The area around the church is among the most historical in Santa Cruz. The Mission is adjacent to it, one of 21 missions in California. Its name, La Exaltacion de la Santa Cruz, gave the city its name. Students at the Holy Cross school, which runs from preschool to eighth grade, looked dismayed as they passed the destruction Monday.
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A Jewish cemetery was defaced in March and Holy Cross was vandalized last July. In 2006 six churches were vandalized in what police said was “methodical” action.
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santacruz.patch.com/articles/santa-cruz-police-investigating-hate-crime-at-holy-cross
 
I’m getting so tired of how Anti-Christianity is the new wave of the common masses!

I’m being completely honest its become frequent that I wish we could deal with these kind of people Old Testament style, with good long purging of our enemies! :mad:

I’m so frustrated that being Christian is now to be a pariah in society…
 
MugenOne said:
What does this vandalism have to do with the “messiah?”
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He’s declared open season on Christianity in general and the Catholic Church in particular. The vandals know Eric Holder won’t prosecute this crime, much less as a hate crime.
 
sedonaman said:
The vandals know Eric Holder won’t prosecute this crime, much less as a hate crime.
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erm…why would the US Department of Justice be involved regarding in a crime which doesn’t involve violence? This seems a local matter, or at most, a state issue.
 
Dale_M said:
erm…why would the US Department of Justice be involved regarding in a crime which doesn’t involve violence? This seems a local matter, or at most, a state issue.
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Imagine Janet Reno as attorney general and a black church got vandalized.
 
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