Monday, February 6, 2012

Brooklyn Church Vandalized with 'KISS Masks'

-by Stephanie Ortiz, Staff Writer
ALLMEDIANY.com

Maintenance workers at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Williamsburg discovered a perpetrator wrote “f-ck” on a bible, broke a statue of St. Judge and defaced a statue of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus with what appears to be KISS masks.

The staff called police at 8 a.m. Wednesday upon seeing the statues’ faces resembling the masks worn by KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Parishioners are outraged, considering the statues have been a part of the church for over sixty years.

The graffiti writers also knocked over a different statue and scrawled what appears to be the word, “Mykee” on Jesus’ robe.

“There’s been a lot of people willing to pay for the repairs,” Pastor Joseph Calise told the Brooklyn Paper. “We don’t know if it is an act of anger, grief, vandalism or stupidity.”

The police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

“It is just plain destruction of sacred property that speaks of peace, love, and hope for everyone,” Assemblyman Joseph Lentol said to the Brooklyn Paper. “The thugs may not realize it is a felony, and I know our District Attorney would be anxious to enforce the law.”



KISS did release several popular singles in the late 70s with religious undertones, including “Hotter than Hell,” “God Gave Rock ’n Roll to You,” “God of Thunder” and “Living in Sin.”




Maintenance workers at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Williamsburg discovered a perpetrator wrote “f-ck” on a bible, broke a statue of St. Judge and defaced a statue of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus with what appears to be KISS masks.

The staff called police at 8 a.m. Wednesday upon seeing the statues’ faces resembling the masks worn by KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Parishioners are outraged, considering the statues have been a part of the church for over sixty years.

The graffiti writers also knocked over a different statue and scrawled what appears to be the word, “Mykee” on Jesus’ robe.

“There’s been a lot of people willing to pay for the repairs,” Pastor Joseph Calise told the Brooklyn Paper. “We don’t know if it is an act of anger, grief, vandalism or stupidity.”

The police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

“It is just plain destruction of sacred property that speaks of peace, love, and hope for everyone,” Assemblyman Joseph Lentol said to the Brooklyn Paper. “The thugs may not realize it is a felony, and I know our District Attorney would be anxious to enforce the law.”

KISS did release several popular singles in the late 70s with religious undertones, including “Hotter than Hell,” “God Gave Rock ’n Roll to You,” “God of Thunder” and “Living in Sin.”

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