Monday, December 25, 2006 at 2:02am
'Sick act' won't spoil Xmas: Pastor
The desecration of a 2½-foot plastic statue of the Virgin Mary at a Pennsylvania church last week brings attention to what Christmas is all about: The virgin birth of Christ Jesus, says Rev. Bob LaForce.
"I hope in the midst of this very sick act that people will have a sense of what Christmas is all about and will worship Jesus," LaForce told his congregation Sunday morning at Stewartstown Presbyterian Church, the York Daily Record reported Sunday.
On Dec. 18, the statue, depicting Mary with the baby Jesus in her arms, was found Dec. 18 tied at the neck with nylon rope and dangling from a light post on the church lawn. The Stewartstown Police found a black sweatshirt on the church roof which may belong to one of the culprits. Based on its size, police believe teenagers or children were involved.
Jordan LaForce, the pastor's 16-year-old son, said Kennard-Dale High School buzzed with rumors Friday about who strung up the plastic Mary. Other parishioners speculated the act was a prank.
Delores Kilbourne, 75, believes the incident was more than a joke, although she admitted she can't really know. "I think it was people that are not part of the Christian faith," Kilbourne said. "It's a sad situation when those - the evil in the world - try to take the Christ out of our lives."
"I hope in the midst of this very sick act that people will have a sense of what Christmas is all about and will worship Jesus," LaForce told his congregation Sunday morning at Stewartstown Presbyterian Church, the York Daily Record reported Sunday.
On Dec. 18, the statue, depicting Mary with the baby Jesus in her arms, was found Dec. 18 tied at the neck with nylon rope and dangling from a light post on the church lawn. The Stewartstown Police found a black sweatshirt on the church roof which may belong to one of the culprits. Based on its size, police believe teenagers or children were involved.
Jordan LaForce, the pastor's 16-year-old son, said Kennard-Dale High School buzzed with rumors Friday about who strung up the plastic Mary. Other parishioners speculated the act was a prank.
Delores Kilbourne, 75, believes the incident was more than a joke, although she admitted she can't really know. "I think it was people that are not part of the Christian faith," Kilbourne said. "It's a sad situation when those - the evil in the world - try to take the Christ out of our lives."