Community Seeks Vandals Who Struck Oak Park Church
OAK PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- A Roman Catholic Church in Oak Park is the victim of vandalism, after two robberies in recent weeks.
As WBBM Newsradio's Lisa Fielding reports, the Rev. Larry McNally arrived at Ascension Catholic Church, 808 S. East Ave., on Tuesday morning to find red paint splattered on the doors of the church, as well as on a nearby sign.
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"I was very angry, and very upset that someone would just do this to God's house," McNally said.
He said it was a sad commentary on today's society.
"This is so frustrating that there's no sense of sacredness anywhere; someone who would just come and just throw paint around like this," McNally said. "People who drove by, people were crying, people were getting out of the cars, 'What we can do to help you here.' It's just not right. This is God's house and people are doing this."
McNally says the incident follows two recent robberies at the church. He says he doesn't understand why anyone would vandalize the church, but his parishioners have come together to help.
"People came with hoses. They came with power-washers. They came with soap," McNally said. "We had a whole group of people out there all day washing the church down. It was very touching."
McNally says he doesn't believe anyone saw anything suspicious, but is urging anyone to come forward who might know who is responsible.
He says security at the church has been beefed up as a result.
