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Sacred Heart Church officials and parishioners are hoping a stained glass window can be restored soon after a second incident in as many months left the Suffern church with thousands of dollars in damage on June 19.
Suffern’s Santiago Brito-Avalos, 44, was charged with felony criminal mischief, second-and-third degree assault and harassment for allegedly beating the 74-year-old church sexton, slapping a parishioner in exiting the church and causing damage to church property. Brito-Avalos, who is not a parishioner, was arraigned and sent to Rockland County Jail in New City on $20,000 bail.
“This makes people think about how the world is now,’’ said Msgr. Joseph Giandurco, who served as pastor of Sacred Heart until his appointment to St. Patrick’s in Yorktown Heights July 1.
“You don’t really know what to expect and you have to be extremely vigilant. We’re going to make sure our sexton is not alone when he opens the church. Usually there are some people there to help him open the church, but this day there were no people there.”
The sexton reported around 6 a.m. to open the church and prepare for Sunday Masses. Brito-Avalos entered the church claiming to search for a wallet and cell phone he had left behind the previous night. The sexton presented Brito-Avalos with the wallet and cell phone, and all seemed fine until Brito-Avalos grabbed the sexton by the neck before punching and kicking him.
Brito-Avalos allegedly threw the Lectionary, causing it to burst apart, ripped out a church microphone and tossed it across the church, and displaced two votive candles and hurled them at a parishioner entering the church. He proceeded to pick up a statue of the Blessed Mother and threw it through a stained glass window.
Brito-Avalos left the church and was arrested by Suffern police. The sexton was transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Suffern where he was treated and released.
“I can’t even guess how much it’s worth,” Msgr. Giandurco said. “I can say it’s almost priceless. It’s a beautiful window of Jesus being baptized by St. John the Baptist. It’s a terrible shame it was broken, but most parishioners and I were more worried about our sexton. He was back at work the next morning.”
Msgr. Giandurco said the parish is planning to restore the window, which is about 75 years old. Although uncertain of the final cost of the damage, he noted there is a $2,500 insurance deductible.
“It’s going to be a real chore to restore it,” he added. “Parishioners are so generous and are offering to give donations. I’m quite certain the deductible will be covered. People are amazing here.”
This is the second incident in as many months at Sacred Heart. In May, 53-year-old Walter Hand was arrested by Suffern police for allegedly stealing a gold Lunette, which is used to hold the Eucharist when it is exposed in a monstrance.
Hand was charged with third-degree burglary and fourth-degree grand larceny, both felonies, as well as third-degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor. He was held without bail due to his previous criminal history.
“I think people feel like things are becoming unstable and dangerous. It’s a reality but I think people are still strong in their faith and they want to be here. So, they’ll keep coming,” Msgr. Giandurco said.
