A statue of the Virgin Mary was set on fire yesterday evening at the La Inmaculada Church in Orange Walk. A woman went into the church compound around 5 yesterday evening and lit the statue on fire. Now in the Catholic church, everyone knows how sacred these statues are, so who would want to do such a thing? Is it some kind of attack against the Catholic Church? When Father Oliver Smalls of the La Immaculada Parish spoke to our colleagues at CTV3 he told them it has nothing to do with the church, it was just a senseless act by someone who needs help.
Father Oliver Smalls, Priest "I think the person who did that was depressed and upset and needed some sort of metal health. I don't think it was anything against the Catholic Church or the community or the Virgin Mary. I just think the person has problems and somehow the problems were just overwhelming. So we here hold no malice or hurt feelings against her at all. The only action is prayer. We will keep her in prayer. It's unfortunately, but no, we won't seek legal actions at all and the person who donated the shrine is willing to take care of all the damages and fix things up. So God is good to us and we have to share that blessing with others."
Father Smalls says this arson had nothing to do with any attack against the church nor with any statement being made during this Lenten Season - which began yesterday. Police told us that the woman was at the scene when they arrived but that the church did not press charges so she was taken to her family. Smalls says the only action they will take is in the form of prayers.
Email
Print
A statue of the Virgin Mary was set on fire yesterday evening at the La Inmaculada Church in Orange Walk. A woman went into the church compound around 5 yesterday evening and lit the statue on fire. Now in the Catholic church, everyone knows how sacred these statues are, so who would want to do such a thing? Is it some kind of attack against the Catholic Church? When Father Oliver Smalls of the La Immaculada Parish spoke to our colleagues at CTV3 he told them it has nothing to do with the church, it was just a senseless act by someone who needs help.
"I think the person who did that was depressed and upset and needed some sort of metal health. I don't think it was anything against the Catholic Church or the community or the Virgin Mary. I just think the person has problems and somehow the problems were just overwhelming. So we here hold no malice or hurt feelings against her at all. The only action is prayer. We will keep her in prayer. It's unfortunately, but no, we won't seek legal actions at all and the person who donated the shrine is willing to take care of all the damages and fix things up. So God is good to us and we have to share that blessing with others."