Money Stolen From Roxbury Church Poor Boxes
ROXBURY (CBS) - Father Raymond Collins says he can't understand why someone would steal from the poor.
"It was very clear there was a break in. It is leaded stained glass so it would take some money to bring it back and restore it," he told WBZ-TV.
Police say sometime early Sunday morning a thief broke into the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Roxbury.
The person first smashed a 100-year-old stained glass window and then stole money from the poor and shrine boxes.
"It's for the needy of the community. People do come forward and ask for help, as the days and weeks go on," Father Collins said.
The church empties the boxes many times a day, but Father Collins says the thief may have made off with a few hundred dollars.
"I just think it's sad that someone would break into a church and target money that's designed to help the poor anyway," parishioner Joe Juraniec said.
Father Collins said it's going to cost a lot of money to fix the windows that were smashed and they'll never replace the money that was stolen.
"We are typically in the business of serving people and it is frustrating to see people push against that and that's what I see the break in as," Father Collins said.
