You are reading

Church Statue Honoring COVID-19 Victims in Flushing is Vandalized

A statue of St. Bernadette at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in the Flushing was vandalized early Tuesday (Photo provided by The Diocese of Brooklyn).

Aug. 18, 2021 By Michael Dorgan

A statue that was erected this summer at a Flushing Catholic church to honor residents who died from COVID-19 was vandalized Tuesday.

The statue, located at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church at 136-76 41st Ave., was smashed by a man who pushed it to the ground, according to a spokesperson for the Diocese of Brooklyn — which also covers Queens.

The suspect toppled the statue at around 3:30 a.m. after jumping over a fence to get on church property. The sculpture, which is of St. Bernadette, was damaged with parts of the forearm in pieces, the spokesperson said.

St. Bernadette is the patron saint of the poor and the sick, according to the Diocese.

A photograph released by the Diocese shows a large section of the statue’s left forearm missing. In another photo, broken-off debris from the sculpture can be seen shattered on the ground.

The statue is located on a lawn area that runs adjacent to Union Street.

The statues of St. Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes (L) at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Flushing. Debris on the ground (R) following the act of vandalism (Photos provided by The Diocese of Brooklyn).

The Diocese sent CCTV footage of the incident to the NYPD, which is conducting an investigation, a police spokesperson said.

Father Vincentius Do, Pastor of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, said it was “upsetting,” but he was not bitter about the incident.

“The faithful of St. Michael’s and I are praying for the person who committed this act against our church,” Do said.

“It is important to find the good in all things, and so I wish to take this opportunity to encourage the public to respect our church and our property, as well as that of all houses of worship.”

The statue of St. Bernadette was installed on the grounds of the church earlier this summer – along with a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes – by the Diocese to remember all parishioners who lost their lives to the coronavirus.

The pastor is now planning to have the statue repaired. The incident follows a similar act of vandalism last month when two statues at a Catholic church in Forest Hills were damaged beyond repair.

Anyone with information in relation to the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477).

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Queens Together launches ‘Unofficial US Open Dining Guide’ encouraging fans to sample restaurants along the 7 line

Aug. 20, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

The US Open returns to Flushing Meadows Corona Park this Sunday, with more than 1 million attendees anticipated to take mass transit to the iconic annual tennis event. With hundreds of thousands of fans set to take the 7 out to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, there is a world of delicious local eateries lying beneath the elevated train tracks should any fan wish to stop en-route to the US Open.

Can Queens’ food scene thrive with both trucks and restaurants?

Aug. 19, 2025 By Jessica Militello

In Jackson Heights at 4 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, Roosevelt Avenue is buzzing with energy as commuters file in and out of subway cars and onto the street and cars and trucks grapple to get down the busy road. The street is filled with rows of shops and restaurants, along with food carts, street vendors and food trucks along the avenue. The almost-but-not-quite the weekend lag leaves hungry commuters faced with another choice to make throughout their day and the array of food truck options in busy areas like Jackson Heights offers customers convenience and delicious food without breaking the bank, two features that can feel vital, particularly with rising costs of living and pressure from inflation.