After vandalism, more than $100k raised to help Long Beach Catholic school

A fundraiser has brought in more than $100,000 to help a Long Beach Catholic school after at least one person destroyed religious articles, furniture and other items Monday, Feb. 2.

A GoFundMe has raised $100,795 as of Tuesday afternoon to help the Holy Innocents School rebuild from damage after staff found shelves, audio equipment and school supplies among the items thrown and, in some cases, destroyed, throughout the School Hall. GoFundMe takes a transaction fee of 2.9% in addition to $.30 per donation that are used to pay payment processors and deliver funds safely, the organization said.

A life-sized statue of the Virgin Mary was shoved to the ground and decapitated, and the church tabernacle, a fixed and locked box that holds the Eucharist, was ripped from the sanctuary and thrown to the ground.

“We’re just overwhelmed with the outpouring of support,” said Tony Tripp, the school’s director of advancement.

The principal sent a message to the school community Monday, asking anyone who could to help clean and take inventory of the damaged items, so that the space could be ready for morning Mass the following day. At least 50 people, including staff and families, showed up to help, Tripp said.

Around 60 community members, in addition to students, attended Tuesday’s reparation Mass, where the bishop reconsecrated the sacred space and led a Eucharistic procession to bless the school and pray for protection. Some visitors said they drove from Orange County to support the school and church after hearing about the vandalism, Tripp said.

Families also reached out to the school and donated a 4-foot stand-in statue of the Virgin Mary that will be used at Mass until Holy Innocents determines how it wants to move forward. Parents cried while bringing the statue in and said they were touched by the community’s stepping up to help the church, Tripp said.

“We’re super duper grateful,” he said “The spirit and energy that’s been generated, it really restores your faith in humanity.”