A sacred space for Philadelphia worshippers was violated when thieves targeted Our Lady of Consolation Catholic Church in the Tacony section of the city ahead of the Easter holiday. Tony Volpe, the sexton at the church, discovered the desecration of a donation box intended for the aid of both the community and church renovations.
Law enforcement was alerted to the blasphemous act, which took place Saturday night as parishioners anticipated the conclusion of Holy Week. A volunteer, stationed to guard the donations, reportedly abandoned their post around 11 p.m., leaving the building unprotected, said police. The individual who was supposed to replace the volunteer never arrived, leaving the space unguarded, according to NBC Philadelphia.
"Our faith is strong, nothing is going to let us down," a determined Volpe told 6abc in an interview, despite the unfortunate timing of the crime. Upon noticing the broken wooden box, Volpe lamented, "It's just heartbreaking to think somebody would come in and shame a church like that."
Chris Labovitz, a longtime church member since 1987 and the creator of the stolen donation box, echoed the sentiment of dismay, telling 6abc, "It's horrible. It's sad you can't leave a church open." The doors to the sanctuary had been left ajar for parishioners to offer prayers during what is traditionally considered the holiest week for Christians. In a further blow to the community-serving institution, Father Joseph Farrell, weighing in on the theft to CBS News Philadelphia, noted, "I've been in this neighborhood for a dozen or so years and it's a good neighborhood, but like any place, you have to be careful and vigilant."
The Philadelphia Police Department has begun an investigation, stating there was no forced entry due to the church's open status for the public during Easter. With the actual amount of money stolen unreported, the financial hit remains uncertain but is nevertheless a hardship for the not wealthy parish. Images of the damaged donation box were shared by church officials in an attempt to raise awareness about the incident.
