2 Illinois churches, local businesses vandalized; 1 suspect arrested
Two Illinois churches and a couple of local businesses were vandalized over the weekend, with one of the congregations having to cancel in-person services due to the damage.
Mount Pisgah Baptist Church and Holy Trinity Catholic Church, both of which are located in Bloomington, suffered varying levels of vandalism over the weekend.
Mount Pisgah Pastor Timothy Mark Harris took to Facebook on Sunday morning to report that there was “a high level of vandalism” to the church building, prompting a cancelation of in-person worship.
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“We still trust in the Lord,” said Harris, after noting that the damage was found both inside and outside of the sanctuary, then adding that worship would still be held via YouTube.
“We will have an opportunity for us to worship and thankful to God for this is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad therein. But there is significant damage and so I need you to be patient with me, as the leaders and I are working through this.”
Harris went on to commend the deacons and trustees who responded to the vandalism, and encouraged congregants to visit other “sister churches” in the area.
The pastor then called for the congregation to be in prayer “wherever you are” at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. and to have members “check on at least three people” and “tell them something good.”
Holy Trinity Catholic suffered two broken windows, according to the Illinois State University-based WGLT, while police eventually arrested an unnamed woman for the vandalism.
The arrested suspect might have also been connected to the vandalism of two local businesses over the weekend, reported WGLT.
In a separate incident of church vandalism, 29-year-old Noemi Guzman was arrested last week after trying to set her father on fire and for attacking a priest at the property of St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church of Omaha, Nebraska.
“The priest barricaded himself in a second-floor room. The Omaha Fire Department responded and used a ladder truck to assist the priest out of a second-floor window. Guzman then barricaded herself in the building,” stated the Omaha Police Department earlier this month.
“Members of the OPD Emergency Response Unit took Guzman into custody after 10 a.m. as she was attempting to jump from a second-floor window. Guzman was transported to the hospital. Charges are pending and the investigation is ongoing.”
Evidence indicates that the attack was related to the documented mental health issues of Guzman, who, according to a report by KETV of Omaha, was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
