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(8/31/2006)
Pro Life Display, Church Vandalized in Brookings Graffiti includes female symbol, anti-war statement BY BOB ELLIS Father Paul Rutten, director of the Pius XII Newman Center at South Dakota State University in Brookings, wasn’t ready for what he awoke to this morning. Overnight, vandals spray painted a female symbol on a pro life sign in front of the church and painted “NO IRAQ WAR” on the front of the church. The Pius XII Newman Center is a church at SDSU which helps strengthen the faith of Catholic students on campus. Father Paul also lives in the church and was asleep when the vandalism occurred. Father Paul believes the damage occurred between 1:00 am and 7:00 am this morning. He said that a student passed by the area approximately 1:00 am and saw nothing out of the ordinary. However, when Father Paul’s secretary arrived at the building at 7:00 am, she noticed the damage. No other damage was done on or around the building, though Father Paul said that vandals had knocked down some of the crosses earlier in the week. Other than that, they have had no problems with vandalism. He was surprised at the vandalism because there is a streetlight nearby and the area is fairly well lit. Father Paul also said the police are very good about patrolling the area regularly. Officer Chris Weber of the Brookings Police Department responded and gathered what evidence there was, but there are no suspects at this time. The sign which was painted on is part of a display which travels to different locations around South Dakota each week. The sign displays the number of abortions done in South Dakota in 2002, which was 826, and lists the 44 million abortions done in the U.S. since the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in the U.S. in 1973. The display has been at the Newman Center since last Saturday, and is to remain until this Saturday. Father Paul said he is checking into what it will take to replace the sign. Father Paul saw no logical connection between the attack on the pro life display and the anti-war graffiti painted on the side of the church. Since the official stance of the Catholic Church generally frowns on war, a Catholic church seems an unlikely target for such a sentiment. The church also hasn’t made any bold public statements on the issue of abortion recently, other than the display which was vandalized, and the Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) last year. An estimate of the dollar value of the damage has not yet been determined. The cost of the sign is unknown at this point, and they are looking into what it will take to remove the paint from the building. Father Paul said many people passing by had approached him today to express their sympathies and tell him how shameful they consider the crime. A spokesperson from the Brookings Police Department was not available for comment at the late hour when Dakota Voice attempted contact.
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