About 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday, an Altoona Area School District maintenance worker saw a group of three juveniles on the grounds of the Fifth Avenue church, according to Debbie Bartley, director of religious education at the church.

When congregants arrived the following morning, they discovered their statue of Mary — the church’s namesake — was shattered on the ground, having apparently been toppled over.

According to Bartley, despite the numerous cameras positioned around the church buildings, they have not been able to identify the three alleged suspects.

“We wish we knew,” Bartley said.

Pieces of the statue can be seen after the vandalism. Courtesy photo

Since then, church leaders have been working closely with both the Altoona Police Department and the AASD Police Department to track down the culprits.

The school district police have “been wonderful, they’re checking their cameras for us,” Bartley said.

The 5-foot-tall cement statue of Mary and infant Jesus had presided over the church for more than 20 years, Bartley said, adding it cost $1,200 when originally installed.

According to Bartley, it is beyond repair due to the nature of the damage.

“Her head is completely shattered,” she said.

The statue had stood undisturbed outside the church for 20 years. Courtesy photo

In Roman Catholic tradition, statues of biblical figures cannot be disposed of in public waste collection. Instead, they must be buried with appropriate respect because they are blessed, Bartley said.

“Over 20 years it’s been there no one had even touched it before,” Bartley said. “I’m heartbroken.”

Bartley, alongside her fellow St. Mary’s faithful, are trying to understand the motive behind the alleged vandalism.

“Did the kids realize it was Holy Week? I would like to believe they didn’t know the significance of that … it’s disturbing,” Bartley said.

Terry Carnicella is a parishioner at St. Mary’s and was outraged when she heard that the statue had been vandalized.

“The holiest week of the year and they thought it was OK to go onto church property and damage a blessed structure,” Carnicella said.

Carnicella said that ever since the news was shared on the parish’s Facebook, the post has been flooded with people who are upset and don’t understand why anyone would do something like this. She said there has also been a great deal of support from people who don’t attend St. Mary’s.

During Holy Week, Catholics and Christians across the globe reflect on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus with a series of rites beginning with Palm Sunday and concluding on Easter Sunday.

After attending St. Mary’s Holy Thursday service, Carnicella said it was strange to walk up to the parish and not see the iconic sculpture on her way into the building.

“I parked in the parking lot and she wasn’t standing there,” she said. “She was gone.”

The church will now begin looking for a new statue, and will seek to “prosecute” those responsible once identified, Bartley said. Carnicella said she hopes the youths are caught soon.

“I just hope they don’t go around to the other churches in the area,” Bartley added.

St. Mary’s parishioner Jim Woomer said the church should be willing to “forgive and reconcile” with whoever destroyed the statue if they come forward.

“If we can’t forgive this, we have no right to seek forgiveness for the sins we’ve committed,” Woomer said, adding “we’ve all done something we deeply regret.”

He said anger in response to the vandalism is warranted, but it is important to remember — particularly during Holy Week — that without forgiveness, anger can go unchecked. Woomer hopes the youths involved with the crime reflect on their actions and take responsibility for what they’ve done, maybe even seeking out a priest and confessing.

“The lesson for that person this Holy Week especially is that God’s love and mercy has no end,” he said.

Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz is at 814-946-7535.