- CHARLOTTE — Someone broke into St. Thomas Aquinas Church at 1400 Suther Road Friday evening or Saturday morning, desecrating the altar and causing about $2,600 in damage. No evidence of ritualistic or occult activity was apparent and nothing was stolen from the University City-area church.
- According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police report, the person or persons broke a stained glass window on the right side of the church, not visible to the street, sometime after 1:30 a.m. and before 9 a.m. Saturday. They probably cut themselves on the broken glass, and as they walked into the altar area some blood dripped onto the altar cloth, said David Hains, diocesan director of communication.
- Hains said police surmised the person knocked over the crucifix that sat upon the altar, and when it fell it broke the baby Jesus statue in the church's Nativity display. At some point during their break-in, the burglar or burglars triggered the church's alarm, and they left moments later through the narthex.
- Parish staff thought the alarm was triggered accidentally and did not discover the break-in until Saturday morning, Hains said. They immediately called police and Bishop Peter Jugis.
- According to Hains and the church's pastor, Father Patrick Winslow, there appeared to be no signs of satanic activity, but the altar area was desecrated in a "lewd" manner.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Catholic News Herald - Altar desecrated at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte - Catholic news from the Diocese of Charlotte
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