‘A sense of loss’: Catholic church facing $250K in vandalism damages

A Catholic church in north Edmonton was targeted twice in a week by vandals and the damage is estimated at around $250,000.

A Catholic church in north Edmonton is feeling shocked after two acts of vandalism in the same week left the parish with around $250,000 worth of damages.

St. Clare’s Catholic Church has been part of the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton since 1999. The building was the target of two acts of vandalism early Monday and Tuesday morning.

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In a release to its parishioners Wednesday, the church said Monday’s incident involved three suspects who threw rocks to smash the windows. They also spray-painted parts of the walls outside.

On Tuesday, the church believes the same people came back and caused further damage to the stained-glass windows – which they estimate alone will cost more than $250,000 to repair.

“I think for the worshipping community, this is a sense of loss,” Archdiocesan Administrator Paul Kavanagh told CTV News Edmonton.

Kavanagh added this act adds to a list of incidents they’ve seen across the news at temples, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship.

“Even though it’s a Catholic church, this church is part of the local community as any other place of worship is,” he said. “I think when something like this happens, we have to find ways that we can reach out to the broader community as well.”

St. Clare’s is accepting donations to cover the cost of the window damages. For now, the glass has been cleared and the windows have been boarded up.

Edmonton police say they are investigating.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Marek Tkach