MILWAUKEE — Just a few days after vandalism left the Church of the Gesu on the Campus of Marquette University damaged and shaken, the church is welcoming the community back. Sunday marks the first major mass since the incident, and a step toward healing.
After finding damaged statues, overturned tables, and knocked-down candles Wednesday morning, the doors are open again this morning.
Watch: Why Pastor Michael Simone says he is "heartened" despite having to pick up the pieces after the Church of the Gesu was vandalized a few days ago.
"It's kind of a heartbreaking time," Michael Simone said.
Simone addressed parishioners at the start of mass.
"Nobody was injured and for that I'm eternally grateful. But at least for the moment we are picking up the pieces and cleaning up the mess," Simone said.
The physical and emotional work is just beginning. The difference and emptiness of where certain statues or candles used to be is noticeable in the historic church filled with religious art, but so is the support.
"Churches have been vandalized since the first century and this was just our turn. We are going to bounce back from this like every other church has," Simone said.
"On the other hand people are coming back in large numbers. I don’t think anyone's afraid to be here. We’re all committed to the church and to our faith," Simone said.
That faith goes beyond just showing up.
"I am heartened by the number of people telling me that they are praying for the individual that perpetrated the incident," Simone said.
As the church works through insurance and repairs, the plan is to restore or replace what was lost. They also plan to increase security to make sure everyone continues to feel safe moving forward.
"I am committed to keeping the doors of the church open, working with Marquette police, parishioners and Catholic organizations who say they want to help us," Simone said.
Simone said the support from the community has been overwhelming and he is incredibly grateful.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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