Historic City News was contacted by a member of the Board of Directors for St. Gerard Campus and asked to help raise awareness of recurring vandalism to the Cemetery of Innocence display at Prince of Peace church.
“Needless to say, we are devastated,” board member Pat Greenfield told Historic City News Wednesday morning; after overnight vandalism destroyed and desecrated the display and outside alter of the landmark Catholic Church on San Marco Avenue.
“The vandals made holes in the big sign, which cost St. Gerard Campus $1,000 — and now needs to be replaced,” Greenfield explained. “The other sign was irreparably damaged with graffiti and another sign was stolen.”
St. Gerard Campus is the non-profit organization in St. Augustine who rescues teenage, pregnant girls and keeps them from spiraling down into poverty, dependency and welfare. Office manager Maria Gleason told Historic City News that each year, during Lent, the school’s volunteers and supporters create the highly visible 4,000 cross display on the church grounds; representing the estimated 4,000 abortions that occur in America every day.
Greenfield reported her concerns to news editor Michael Gold who contacted the St. Augustine Police Department for more details. This morning, police spokesperson Barbara Stevens had some good news, of sorts.
“We have the name of a possible suspect in the last vandalism,” Stevens reported.
According to information provided by police, the suspect is a woman who may have medical problems related to her mental health. The latest attack on the St. Gerard Campus display is the third this year. “It appears to have been committed by someone unrelated to the other two,” Stevens said.
In the Tuesday night incident, some of the crosses had been “marked” and a child’s personal belongings were strewn with other debris on the church grounds. If police are correct, Stevens believes that the child’s mother caused the damage. “The child was located in Minnesota in the custody of her father,” Stevens told Historic City News. “The girl is safe.”
The incident does not appear to be a “hate crime”, according to Stevens. “We have not made contact with the suspect yet — we are still looking for her as of last night.”
In the first two incidents, juvenile vandalism is suspected. The forty days of Lent continues through Maundy Thursday, April 21, 2011. Police have stepped up surveillance of the area around the Prince of Peace church, Mission of Nombre de Dios and Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche.
St. Gerard Campus founder, Caroline Wolff, says that the destroyed crosses will be replaced and the damaged signs will be repaired through donations from their supporters. “We cannot let the work of Satan stop our message of life and hope for God’s littlest angels.”
Wolff said, “We are asking for tax-deductable donations to our Crosses Fund be made by calling 904-829-5516 or visiting our website
Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News staff photographer
Discover more from HISTORIC CITY NEWS
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.