British Columbia’s premier-designate is condemning the theft of a life-sized copper statue of Jesus Christ from outside a Catholic school. Lorne Doerkson took to social media Saturday to speak out against the theft of the statue from the courtyard at St. John Paul II Academy in Surrey, calling it “a disgraceful act against a community of faith and a school.” “An act like this wounds an entire Christian community, and it has no place in our province,” Doerkson’s post continued. Dr. Joseph King, chair of the school’s board, first shared news of the theft on Nov. 11 online. “Last night or early this morning, someone came with a saw and cut the statue, removing it from the premises, disfiguring this beautiful work of art, cutting it away for whatever reason—I have no idea. But it’s a sad thing to have happen,” he said in a video that showed what remained of the base of the sculpture. The Surrey Police Service confirmed it is investigating and has reviewed surveillance video that has been posted online by the school. “An extensive initial search for suspects or a suspect vehicle was negative,” Sgt. Ali Gailus wrote in an emailed statement Sunday, adding that the investigation is ongoing. The statue was part of an installation called ‘The Last Supper’ comprised of the statue of Jesus Christ and 12 empty seats—symbolizing those that would have been occupied by the disciples prior to the crucifixion. An online campaign launched to raise $100,000 replace the sculpture explained its significance. “While the sculpture was made of copper, its true value was never in the metal, but in what it represented: the love of Jesus Christ and his presence among us,” the GoFundMe page said. “As people of faith, we believe that goodness will always prevail over evil, that love is stronger than hatred, and that even in moments of loss, God can bring forth something beautiful.” Anyone with information about the theft is urged to call the Surrey Police Service.
