California Catholic school vandalized, desecrated, launching DOJ investigation

The Department of Justice is investigating the “awful crime” of religious vandalism and robbery in a Catholic school in Long Beach, announced Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon.

During the night of Feb. 1-2, vandals ransacked Holy Innocents Catholic School, shattering a statue of the Virgin Mary, dismantling audio and lighting equipment and destroying Catholic liturgy books, according to EWTN News. The perpetrators overturned the tabernacle, the holding place of the consecrated Eucharist, which Catholics hold to be the sacred body of Christ.

Father Peter Irving, who leads the church and school, told EWTN he was grateful the “Blessed Sacrament” was “not violated.”

“The tabernacle was not breached although it was left damaged,” he said. “Investigators said that this was the worst desecration that they have seen.”

Estimate damages from the break-in total $100,000, according to Fox News. Tony Trip, the school’s director of advancement, said nearly every room was vandalized.

“They pretty much went through the whole place … and ransacked whatever they could,” Tripp told Fox News.

School Principal Cyril Cruz, who discovered the desecration the morning of Feb. 2, told EWTN the school community immediately came together to restore the hall and to pray.

“Yesterday, our school community gathered in prayer to pray the rosary for healing and also for the conversion and mercy for those who committed this act,” she said. “We are grateful no one was physically harmed, and we are responding as a faith community with prayer, reparation, and trust in Christ.”

Tripp told Fox News the community’s response has been encouraging, despite the devastation.

“It’s given us tremendous hope, you know, that people still have faith and believe in God and are willing to stand up for their faith,” he said.