Above: St. Anne’s church is calling attention to an earlier “hate crime” through a vigil tomorrow night. (Photo by Susan Fitzgerald)
St. Anne’s Church is back in the news again. This time it is for their public “prayer vigil to call awareness to ‘the hate crimes’.”
Two weeks ago, local media covered the hateful message scrawled on the church driveway. The chalk graffiti is being treated by Southborough Police as a hate crime.
To those who have diminished the act because chalk was used, St. Anne’s bulletin this week responded:
The cowardly act had to have been performed in the dark hours of the night by someone familiar with the property. Such criminal actions are not tolerated today in our American society. It’s not a matter of someone having a little fun and scratching some graffiti on the driveway. Behind such actions are unresolved anger and blatant hostility.
Tomorrow night, the church is striking back with prayer. They are inviting the public to join them in a vigil to be held in their driveway:
[The “hate message”] goes on to show us that prejudice and discrimination are right at our doorstep, and we as Christians must be serious about combating this social ill. Let us pray for the perpetrators, that they be brought to justice.
The vigil will take place at 8:00 pm, Tuesday, August 11. St. Anne’s Church is located at 20 Boston Road.
To read the full message from the church bulletin, click to enlarge.
On Friday, Southborough Wicked Local posted an interview with church pastor Reverand Dr. Conrad Pecevich about the vigil:
“There have been no leads or anything to solve the case,” he said. “We want to keep it awake.” . . .
Pecevich said the event will include a representative from the Anti-Defamation League of Boston, Muslim leaders from the Worcester Islamic Society and other religious leaders. The main purpose of the event is education and awareness.
You can read more here.
