Statues Vandalized at McHenry Church
The statues are worth thousands of dollars and will be replaced, said Rev. Bob Balog, but he added that their spiritual value made them priceless.
Statues outside McHenry's St. Mary Catholic Church are without wings and hands after being vandalized over the weekend.
Rev. Bob Balog said he discovered the damage Sunday morning as he prepared for Mass.
"They are devastated, shocked," Balog said of his parishioners. "How could this happen?"
The statues are worth thousands of dollars and will be replaced, he said, but added that their spiritual value made them priceless.
The pathway leading to a statue of the Virgin Mary, whose hand was smashed off, is lined with the names of loved ones who have passed away.
"All I'm looking for is someone to say to God, first of all, to Jesus, to the Blessed Mother, 'I'm sorry,'" said Balog.
The parish has a history of rebuilding. It burned to the ground in 1917 and was rebuilt by the community. This most recent incident is the first report of vandalism on church property, located at 1401 N. Richmond Road, since two large vases were smashed more than a year ago.
