Thugs have burned a statue of the Virgin Mary that stands in front of St. Peter’s Parish in Dorchester. Rick Sobey reports in the Boston Herald:
A statue of the Virgin Mary was set ablaze outside a Boston church Saturday night, said police who are investigating the arson incident.
Officers at 10 p.m. responded to a call for a fire in the area of 284 Bowdoin St. in Dorchester.
On arrival at St.Peter’s Parish, officers saw that a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary had been set on fire.
Someone had lit plastic flowers on fire, which were in the hands of the Virgin Mary statue, according to members of the Boston Fire Department Fire Investigation Unit. That caused the statue’s face and upper body to get burned, according to officials.
The Rev. John Currie, pastor at St. Peter’s Parish, said a prayer next to the Virgin Mary statue Sunday afternoon.
“This is obviously someone who’s disturbed, someone who has a troubled soul,” Currie said of the unknown suspect.
“I know Our Lady in heaven is looking down at the soul, or whoever it might have been, and saying, ‘I love you,’ ” he said. “If you need help, come get help. We’re here for you.”
A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Boston said in a statement, “Whoever is responsible for the desecration of the Holy Mother’s statue is clearly a troubled soul. Mary represents all that is good and pure in our world.”
“We have confidence in local law enforcement to investigate this matter,” the spokesman said. “We pray for the person or persons responsible.”
