Bishop Pat Storey (Dioceses of Meath and Kildare) has expressed her shock and disappointment at the attack on St Catherine’s Church, in Tullamore.
Over 100 panes of glass were broken in the church windows. It is believed that the windows were damaged sometime between the evening of Monday 30th October and the following morning. Initial estimates suggest that repairing the damage, and installing security precautions, will run into many thousands of euro.
Bishop Storey said, “St Catherine’s and the Charleville Centre do great work across the community in Tullamore. It is a very upsetting event for parishioners as they assess the damage. We want to assure the parish of the prayers of the rest of our diocesan family. The support from the wider community is a source of encouragement at this difficult time. We also pray for those who caused this needless damage.”
The rector of St Catherine’s, Revd Isaac Delamere, expressed the shock and sadness felt by his parish community. He said, “The scale of the damage has taken us aback.” He also talked of being “heartened by the tremendous support that the parishioners of St Catherine’s were receiving from every part of the wider community.” He said that support is something “they will take strength from as they carry out the task of repairs in the aftermath”.