'Gutted': Churches attacked in NSW town in Christmas lead-up
Two churches have been vandalised in the southern New South Wales town of Albury in the lead-up to Christmas.
St Patrick's Church and St Matthew's Church have both been targeted in recent days.
Father Henry Ibe of St Patrick's said the statue of the Virgin Mary had been smashed at his church on Monday, three days out from the Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
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St Patrick's Church and St Matthew's Church in the NSW border town of Albury both had statues smashed by vandals. Nine
Vandals have attacked two churches in the NSW town of Albury. Today
He said he believed it was "an attack on the Catholic Church".
"This is not the first time, it is not the second time," he said.
"In September, somebody went into the church and drew a swastika on a painting. Previously, we have had people come in here, break in, and steal our bags, and even a car a few years ago.
Parishioners were left devastated, one priest said. Today
"So something is going on here that we don't understand."
Ibe said he was "gutted" and that some of his parishioners had been reduced to tears.
Father Peter Macleod-Miller said people had been packing Christmas hampers at St Matthew's when they found a smashed statue.
"I think it is more a symptom than anything else," he said.
"I think someone has a real problem that needs to be dealt with. They are using the statues as their way of dealing with it."
He said anybody struggling only had to "knock on the door" for help at St Matthew's.
"At Christmas time, sometimes not everyone feels calm and bright and so perhaps some of these emotions do come to the fore," he said.
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