:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/AGV5GV5J4KDEFNIKCVTMAQFBKA.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/AGV5GV5J4KDEFNIKCVTMAQFBKA.jpg)
So Smith, head of maintenance at St. Patrick Church in Joliet, headed over to the grotto. To his dismay, the church’s fiberglass statue of Mary had been vandalized.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/FRPNDH4X4R5TSOGANE7KRAYRG4.jpg)
“Someone just basically ripped it in half,” Smith said. “They tore her hands off.” Smith understands times are tense right now, but he can’t understand why anyone would damage a statue. “Mary only represents love and peace,” he said.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/FJFSNFB43P4JSHEZIYUAWHCWRE.jpg)
Smith noted structural damage to the statue's dome and part other bricks, too. And he’s shocked that a longtime piece of the church was so blatantly disrespected. “There’s always been a Mary grotto out there,” Smith said. “I went to school here as a kid. And I’ve worked here 30 years. No one’s ever messed with the statue.”
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/XHE3WJX6FVDKKEXF4BVUHGJOSQ.jpg)
Smith said the entire grotto was redone in 2006, which is when the current statue of Mary was installed. Despite the occasional rumor that the St. Pat’s neighborhood is deteriorating, Smith said this area has always been quiet and calm. “I’m here all sorts of hours: shoveling snow in the winter and staying late working on projects,” Smith said. “And this neighborhood has always been a decent neighborhood. You got a couple knuckleheads here and there; what neighborhood doesn’t? But no one has ever messed with the property; we’ve never had any damage. In 30 years, no one has had painted any graffiti, broken any windows, broken any statues.” Smith the outpouring on social media and through the St. Pat’s website has been overwhelming. People are outraged, people are sending donations to repair or replace her. “Several people said they’ve be happy to pay for a brand-new statue,” Smith said.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/WWHMMSI5IVBBSR624RA4AL3SYA.jpg)
But a new statue won’t be cheap. Smith said a comparable version would cost about $3,000. In the meantime, parishionres are working on repairing and painting her, Smith said. One thing is certain. Mary won’t return to her spot until security is heightened. A new monitoring system is on its way. And Mary herself will have some type of enclosure to protect her, he said. “It’s almost a shame it’s come to this,” Smith said. “I kind of hoped everyone would just be respectful.”
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/N7SGV7KS3XQJWRKUJNI4RXEILY.jpg)
Jim said he and his son had hoped to reattach Mary to her base so other parishioners could repair her hands and paint her. But that's not going to happen. "We were trying to reattach her hands and the base keeps falling apart," Smith said. "Just too much damage to repair." (All photos)