Vandalism outside El Paso Catholic church damages three angel statues

February 11, 2021 CNA Daily News News Briefs 0 Print

Vandalism outside St. Pius X parish in El Paso, Texas. Photo courtesy of the Diocese of El Paso.

El Paso, Texas, Feb 11, 2021 / 06:01 pm (CNA).- Three angel statues at St. Pius X Church in El Paso have suffered heavy damage in a vandalism incident, prompting sadness and prayers for whoever committed the crime.

“We are saddened at the damage that was done at St. Pius X,” Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso said Feb. 10. “These holy images are important to us because they serve as signs and reminders of God’s closeness and God’s care for us.”

Three angel statues on the parish grounds were found toppled over and broken. There was no damage inside any of the buildings, the diocese reported in a statement.

Bishop Seitz said the statues are “things that can be repaired and replaced.”

“We are grateful to God that no one was physically hurt in this violent outburst, because human beings are the most beautiful and irreplaceable images of God,” the bishop said. “We pray that whoever carried out this senseless act will receive the help they need.”

A police report has been filed in the case and security measures were in place. The parish is working with law enforcement to identify any potential suspects, the diocese said.

An arrest has been made in a September 2020 incident at the diocese’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, in which a $25,000 statue of Christ was destroyed, the ABC affiliate KVIA reported.

Last year there were massive, largely peaceful protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was being detained by Minneapolis police. However, there were also widespread riots and vandalism that caused over $1 billion nationwide and killed some 19 people. There was also a wave of vandalism against churches and Catholic statues.

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Over 100 relics of Christ, Holy Family, saints to be displayed at New Jersey parish

February 21, 2024 Catholic News Agency 0
Relics from Christ’s passion, Rome’s Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Feb 21, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

An exhibit that includes more than 100 relics of Jesus Christ, the Holy Family, and numerous saints will be exhibited at a parish in northern New Jersey on Saturday, Feb. 24, from noon to 7 p.m.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Oratory in Montclair, New Jersey, will host the exhibit at its Capozzelli Hall on 94 Pine Street. The parish is located in the Diocese of Newark, about 20 miles west of New York City.

“I think it’s going to be an experience for people — especially for an exhibit this large,” Joe Santoro, the regional delegate to the United States for the International Crusade for Holy Relics (ICHR), told CNA.

Santoro is supplying the relics for the exhibit, which he obtained personally through his work to preserve these holy objects. He said his preservation of the relics is “saving them from places where they’re not going to be honored in the appropriate way.”

The exhibit includes a handful of relics from the passion of Jesus Christ: a small splinter of the cross, a piece of the crown of thorns, a piece of Christ’s tomb, and a piece of the column on which Christ was whipped before his crucifixion. It also includes relics from the Nativity, such as a piece of the Blessed Mother’s veil, a piece of Christ’s crib, and parts of the bones of the three Wise Men.

Other relics include a piece of skin and blood from St. Padre Pio’s stigmata, a piece of St. John Paul II’s hair, and the scarf of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (the first American saint). The exhibit will also include relics from the evangelists, the apostles, and other saints and martyrs.

The relics will be displayed in three sections: one for relics related to the Passion, one for the Nativity, and one for all of the other relics.

“It is a privilege and a joy to host a relics exhibit of this magnitude,” Father Giandomenico Flora, the rector at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Oratory, told CNA. 

“Some of them date back to biblical times and others are relics of saints of our time,” Flora said. “To have such an exhibition of relics is a blessing for the church [and for] people who will attend the event because it gives the opportunity to pray and to ask for particular graces.” 

Santoro said the relics can help the faithful become closer to God and help them meditate on the Passion of Christ near the beginning of Lent. “People are drawn to them,” he said.

“A relic doesn’t contain any magical power or anything like that,” Santoro added. “The people have to bring their faith and God performs these miracles through these great men and women.” 

The Catholic Church has three classifications for relics. A first-class relic is any part of a saint’s body, such as hair, blood, or bones, or objects directly associated with Christ, such as a piece of the cross, a piece of the tomb, or a piece of his crib. A second-class relic is any item that was used by a saint during his or her life. A third-class relic is an item that touches a first-class relic.

Although this exhibition is a one-off event, Santoro told CNA that he hopes there can be a tour in the near future. He said this weekend is “the kickoff to see how it goes.”

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