Kailua church deprived of second statue

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward Bureau

St. Anthony's Church in Kailua was still getting over vandals' destruction of a $10,000 statue of its patron saint when thieves struck.

Someone made off with a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary the weekend of July 22, a month to the day since vandals shattered a large marble statue of St. Anthony and apparently took its head.

"(Parishioners) are expressing their shock and disbelief that people would actually do it again," said Geri DeMello, church secretary.

Some wondered if it was stolen by the same people who destroyed the St. Anthony figure.

The wooden Virgin Mary statue was stolen some time after 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, July 21, and before the 7 a.m. Sunday service, said Deacon Clarence DeCaires.

The 3-foot statue had been torn from its base outside the front door of the church, at the corner of North Kalaheo Avenue and Makawao Street.

The statue was secured to the base with two long screws.

"It was ripped right off the base," DeCaires said. "You could see that it was forced."

The statue was special to the people of St. Anthony's. It came through a 1982 fire charred but intact and, as a reminder of the fire, the statue was never repaired, DeCaires said.

After the destruction of the St. Anthony statue, people called to offer donations to help fix the statue or to operate fund-raisers, but the church hasn't decided what it will do, DeCaires said. A committee will review the options and make a recommendation.

If the St. Anthony statue is replaced, the committee will consider placing it in one of three prayer gardens, he said. The gardens are surrounded by 10- to 12-foot walls.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.