Vandal found by woman seeking to pray in church

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press

A man vandalizing St. Bernard Church in Worcester Monday afternoon was reported by a woman who came in to pray, according to the pastor, who expressed compassion for the man.

The man cooperated with police and was sent to the hospital for evaluation, said Father Jonathan J. Slavinskas, pastor of Our Lady of Providence Parish at St. Bernard Church.  

He spoke about the need to help “suffering souls” afflicted by drug abuse, mental health issues and other stresses.  

The district attorney will likely reach out to him for his thoughts on the case, he said.
There were several acts of destruction, including burning and moving things, Father Slavinskas said. He said the vandal, caught on video by church cameras, hit the tabernacle and removed its veil, but did not get into it; no consecrated hosts were desecrated.

“Thank God he took out whatever he was distressed about in the church,” rather than on a child or another innocent person, the pastor said. “Jesus already took the brunt of our sins; he’ll take” more.

Father Slavinskas said Bishop McManus, who was away, contacted him and gave him permission to celebrate a Mass of Reparation. The pastor said he would probably say it privately, that it needed to be done before using the church again to celebrate sacraments.  
The vandal had been in the church a while when the woman arrived as he was trying to light the altar cloth on fire, Father Slavinskas said.

“I think she caused a distraction for him,” he said. She remained calm, called the police and stayed near the front entrance until they came.

Father Slavinskas said he himself was in the rectory when a friend from the police department contacted him. He looked out a window, saw police vehicles, and went over to the church. He let the police deal with the man, and he talked with the woman, who wanted to make sure the church would continue to be open, as she felt a need to come pray there. He assured her it would.

“The church doors are wide open,” Father Slavinskas said. “We leave the doors open for a reason; there is far greater good taking place,” with people coming in to pray every day, than the bad of isolated incidents of vandalism.

He said he thought people who heard about this incident felt sadness and concern for the perpetrator and some asked how they could help at the church. He said he set up toppled items, “we did a deep clean of the sanctuary,” altar linens were sent to a dry cleaner, and broken items were sent out to be fixed.

While it was frustrating that religious items at the church were vandalized, “my only goal is that a suffering soul gets the help that they need,” the pastor said.  

“I think there’s a lot of stress people are feeling,” and that can lead to using drugs as an escape, he said. And stress, drug abuse and mental health problems are not a good combination.      

Father Slavinskas said attempts to help people include Alcoholics Anonymous holding meetings in the church basement, and the parish trying to have a ministry of presence to those with immigration concerns.  

Father Slavinskas is also a member of Worcester’s Human Rights Commission to address human rights needs that affect the 
city.