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 Dr Rev Justus Akinwale Omoyajowo with the Bible that was thrown on the floor |
Vicar reaches out to those who ransacked his church
Community in shock as vandals strike for second time in a year
A VICAR is offering help to the vandals who ransacked his new parish, promising “I won’t betray you”.
At 3.30am on Monday, hours after his first service at St Jude’s in Mildmay Grove, Dr Reverend Justus Akinwale Omoyajowo found himself back in church – praying for the intruders who had just trashed the building.
Dr Omoyajowo, who has only just taken over the parish, was called to the church by police at about 1am to find a stained glass window smashed, service books torn up and strewn on the floor and the huge bible used for readings flung on the ground.
In the latest in a spate of attacks on Islington churches the vandals ran riot through the church ripping the chalice and service linen from the altar, emptying kitchen cupboards and kicking in doors.
But Dr Omoyajowo said he bears no ill-will towards the vandals. He said: “I don’t feel they should be caught or punished. I woke up the reader at about 3.30am because we needed to find out if anything was missing.
“He came to the church and we prayed for those who did this. I prayed God forgive them and that they forgive the church if they needed healing, if they were bitter or feeling hatred towards the church because the church had done something to them.
“The church is a place of refuge and solace, where people find comfort. When people need help, this is the right place to come and they came but there wasn’t anyone here.”
He added: “I hope they are bold enough to come see me and I won’t betray them.
“We can try to help them – maybe they are trying to say something we don’t understand.”
Last year, thieves stole the microphone and loop system from the church. The vicar at
St Mary Magdalene Church was attacked and thieves stole chalices and robes from other churches in the borough.
Describing the damage, Dr Omoyajowo said: “They broke in through a stained glass window. It wasn’t very old because this is the third time they’ve come in through that window. As far as we can tell nothing is missing.”
The intruders escaped when they triggered an alarm at the neighbouring school The Children’s House.
Dr Omoyajowo has now turned detective: “We still don’t know the motive, whether it’s to trash the place or out of anger to the church.
“What puzzles me is how they got in. The window is too small for any adult. There were no footprints. I think someone locked themselves in the church then made it look like they came through the window.”
He added: “I’m concerned about my people because they are traumatised. It’s their second experience in less than a year. It highlights the need to beef up security.”
The church leadership spent Tuesday cleaning up the mess.
Dr Omoyajowo said the experience had not spoiled his welcome, which was cemented after his first service on Sunday when he and his congregation shared a big welcome cake.
The vicar, who is now making plans to tighten security at the church, said: “The building has been restored to itself. The church is mainly open to people who need help and if there’s any way we can be of help, people should feel free to call me, come to church or leave a message.
“My wife and I share the same philosophy in life. When something happens we don’t dwell on it, we think about the practical things.
“We can’t change what has happened. We knew we were coming to the inner city so in a way we were prepared for anything.” |
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