Diocese reports vandalization of Virgin Mary
statue outside of Catholic school in Elmhurst
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | JULY 17-JULY 23, 2020 13
BY JACOB KAYE
A statue of the Virgin
Mary at the entrance of a
Catholic school in Elmhurst
was vandalized last week,
according to the Diocese of
Brooklyn.
On Friday, July 10,
around 3 a.m., an unknown
individual approached the
statue outside of Cathedral
Prep School and Seminary,
located at 56-25 92nd St., and
wrote the word “idol” onto
the statue’s front, the diocese
said. School staff discovered
the vandalism around 7:30
a.m. By Friday afternoon,
the statue had been cleaned,
according to the diocese.
“Today, Cathedral Prep
endured an act of hatred.
We were victims of vandalism
against a beloved statue
that is dear to generations
of Cathedral students. This
image of our most Blessed
Mother is approximately 100
years old and each day, both
students and passersby pray
fervently for her intercession
in front of the statue,”
said Father James Kuroly,
the rector and president of
Cathedral Prep. “Obviously,
this tragedy saddens us
deeply but it also renews our
hope and faith in the Lord as
he has shown his goodness
in the many people who have
already reached out to us.
We are sincerely grateful for
the help we have received as
well as the prayers.”
The statue of the Virgin
Mary has been at the entrance
of the boys school for
over 100 years.
It moved with the school
when the school was relocated
from Brooklyn to
Elmhurst in 1985.
Police released a surveillance
photo of the suspect on
July 11.
Anyone with information
in regard to the identity of
this individual is asked to
call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers
Hotline at 1-800-577-
TIPS (8477) or for Spanish,
1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
The public can also submit
their tips by logging
onto the CrimeStoppers
website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.
COM,
or on Twitter @NYPDTips
or by texting their tips to
274637 (CRIMES) then enter
TIP577.
All calls are strictly
confidential.
Don’t delay your
health needs.
Safely see a doctor in-person or
conveniently from home with an
online video visit.
Our offices are open and extensive safety precautions
are in place to protect our patients and staff.
• Proper PPE worn at all times
• Exam rooms cleaned between visits
• Remote check-in and limited wait times
We are here for you online and in person.
Most insurance accepted. Call today to schedule
your appointment: 718-732-1540.
/QNS.COM
