BY KEVIN DUGGAN
A man doused the altar of
a Greenpoint church in juice
on Jan. 12, interrupting
mass in an act the Brooklyn
Diocese described as a desecration
of the Kings County
house of worship.
Video shows a 33-yearold
man waltz up to the altar
of St. Anthony of Padua on
Manhattan Avenue near Noble
Street at around 9:30 am,
before pouring the red juice
on the holy table and a bible,
and spraying some of the liquid
on Father Jossy Vattothu
— staining the priest’s robes
and leaving him in shock,
according to the pastor.
“During my years as a
priest, nothing like this has
ever happened,” Father Vattothu
said.
Fortunately, the vandal
missed the holy sacraments
stored on the altar for communion
— allowing Vattothu
to proceed with mass
in what he described as an
act of divine intervention.
“It is a miracle that the
bread and wine were not
damaged, and I was able to
continue the Mass, consecrating
SAME SERVICE
AVAILABLE
ANTIQUES AND ESTATE BUYERS
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
SEE OUR AD IN THE SUNDAY POST
516-974-6528
ASK FOR CHRISTOPHER
WILL TRAVEL. WE MAKE HOUSE CALLS.
COURIER L 18 IFE, JANUARY 17-23, 2020
the bread and wine
into the body and blood of Jesus
Christ,” said Vattothu.
Congregants held the
juice-throwing suspect in
the church for authorities,
who took the suspect to
Woodhull Hospital for evaluation
— but did not arrest
him, according to a Police
Department spokesman.
The incident follows acts
of vandalism targeting Catholic
churches throughout the
city, including the destruction
of a $5,000 statue of St.
Jude at Our Lady of Mount
Carmel in Williamsburg on
Nov. 3, and the more recent
vandalism of Sacred Heart
of Jesus in Bayside, Queens
on Jan. 12, when someone
scrawled gang signs on the
church and school there.
The juicing further comes
on the heels of a string of anti
Semitic attacks against
Orthodox Jews throughout
the borough, which have led
city and state law enforcement
agencies to increase
patrols in Williamsburg,
Crown Heights, and Borough
Park.
“I think right now, people
are scared, given the current
environment of anti-Semitic
and anti-Catholic incidents.
People are afraid to go
to their house of worship,”
said Monsignor Anthony
Hernandez.
Father Vattothu said he
will pray for his attacker,
and asked parishioners to
gather nearer to the altar in
a bid to ward off future juice
attacks.
“I pray for this person
and do not know what was
going through his mind. I am
grateful for the parishioners
who were so caring and consoled
me after Mass,” Father
Vattothu said. “I would urge
Catholics who attend mass to
sit closer to the altar so that
we as a faith community can
be more together and make
the priest feel more comfortable.”
A man tossed juice at a Catholic priest during Sunday Mass in Greenpoint
on Jan. 12. Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Diocese
GRAPES OF WRATH
Man throws juice at Catholic priest during Greenpoint mass
ANTIQUE & ESTATE BUYERS
We buy anything old. One piece or house full.
WILL TRAVEL. HOUSE CALLS. WILL TRAVEL
ENTIRE
TRI-STATE!
TOP $ PAID
FOR JUDAICA
COLLECTIBLES
HOUSE
CALLS
SAME DAY
SERVICE
AVAILABLE
WILL TRAVEL. WE HOUSE CALLS.
1029 WEST JERICHO 37W 47TH TURNPIKE,ST, NYC
SMITHTOWN, L.I.
HOUSE
CALLS
SERVING
BROOKLYN
AND THE ENTIRE
TRI-STATE AREA
WE PAY $ CASH $ FOR
ALL GOLD, GOLD & STERLING SILVER
COSTUME JEWELRY, ALL COINS, PAPER
MONEY & STAMP COLLECTIONS
ALL GOLD...BROKEN OR NOT
PRE- 1960 FURNITURE, CLOCKS WATCHES (WORKING OR NOT)
TIFFANY, BACCARAT, LALIQUE
FREE
Estimate
��������������������������������������������The List is Endless
YERS
MILITARY
Collections Wanted
Swords, Knives,
Helmets, etc.
www.AntiqueAndEstateBuyers.com
����������������������
for Antique
������������������
W
Q
&
����������������������
����������������������������
����������������������������
Injured?
Need a Lawyer?
Auto • Bus • Truck • Taxi
Subway Accidents • Slip/Trip & Fall
Nursing Home Neglect • Wrongful Death
FREE CASE CONSULTATION
on all accident cases
Also handling
Contested/
Uncontested Divorces,
Child Support,
Custody,
Visitation, Paternity,
Real Estate Closings,
Wills, Probate &
Estates, Elder Law,
Traffic Court
Goldberg Sager & Associates
Attorneys at Law
y
1628 Kings Highway (at East 17th Street), Brooklyn, NY 11229
41 Flatbush Avenue, Suite 237, Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-645-6677 www.attorneynow.com
/www.AntiqueAndEstateBuyers.com
/www.attorneynow.com
/www.AntiqueAndEstateBuyers.com
/www.attorneynow.com
