A Priest "DESECRATES" veterans graves

[schr8er2000]

THIS is in MY opinion deplorable..... and this Man of the Cloth should be reprimanded at the very least... do NOT ever touch ANYTHING on the grave of someone... especially something like the flag on a veterans grave... I WOULD take action myself to prevent it.....and it wouldnt be pretty....


Of church and state

BY MIA LIGHT

Published: Monday, December 15, 2008 4:12 AM EST

A veteran’s grave in a coal region cemetery is no different than a veteran’s grave in Arlington National Cemetery, according to Don DeMarco, Post Adjutant at VFW 8008, Nesquehoning.

Both deserve to be respected, protected and decorated with the flag that the soldiers gave part of their life to defend.

DeMarco and more than 100 members of area veterans organizations were joined Sunday by approximately 250 citizens in a rally protesting a local church pastor’s removal of American flags from veteran graves at the parish cemeteries of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church and Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, both in Nesquehoning.

The rally began at Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s Gate of Heaven Cemetery on Garibaldi Avenue, where approximately 160 flags had been removed from gravesites. The group then moved a few blocks away to Sacred Heart parish cemetery where some 108 flags had been removed.

The main entrance gate to Gate of Heaven Cemetery is secured with a chain and padlock.

The flags are placed on the graves by members of the local VFW.

“These veterans’ graves were desecrated,” DeMarco said at the rally.

The Rev. Anthony M. Drouncheck, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi and the parishes it absorbed during Allentown Diocese church consolidations in July, was not available Sunday to speak on the protest in the cemeteries.

According to reports, Drouncheck issued an announcement in a recent church bulletin that all trinkets and other decorations must be removed from cemetery for winter.

According to DeMarco, the veteran’s group never removed flags from gravesites in the past and does not consider the flag to be a common decoration.

“Everybody is celebrating the Christmas holiday and rightfully so. But don’t forget, our veterans did not stop defending this country when Christmas came around. Pearl Harbor was bombed on Dec. 7 and our soldiers went to war at Christmastime. A war is a war,” DeMarco said.

Acknowledging that many parishioners are struggling with closure of their church and its consolidation with other parishes, DeMarco said Sunday’s veterans rally is not connected to parish problems.

“The power struggles between parishioners and the priest, we don’t want to get involved in that. Our struggle is right here,” DeMarco said, pointing to the ground where he stood in the cemetery.

As DeMarco spoke, VFW 8008 member Anthony Santore walked from grave to grave, placing new flags in the empty metal flag holders that remained at the gravesites.

“This is my cousin Pete’s grave. He served in Persia in World War II,” Santore said placing a flag on the grave.

“This is my brother James. He served in Vietnam,” he said as he moved to the next gravesite.

“This is my cousin Patrizio. He was a prisoner of war in Japan. And he doesn’t deserve a flag?” Santore said.

DeMarco told the crowd at the cemetery, that signatures are being collected on petitions, which are available at the local VFW post. The petition, which demands the right to fly American flags on local veterans’ graves, will be sent to diocesan headquarters in Allentown and to members of the local legislative delegation.

DeMarco urges citizens to visit the VFW to sign the petition.

“Every veteran deserves a flag on his grave, from Arlington National Cemetery to the graves along dirt roads in the rural countryside. It’s an honor to put the flag on a veteran’s grave. It brings tears to my eyes because these guys, they fought for us,” said Ed Smith, Commander of American Legion Post 173 of Tamaqua.

Rico Nuss, president of Rolling Thunder Inc. Chapter 8 of Hazleton — a veteran, POW and MIA advocacy group — called removal of the flags “deplorable.”

“These veterans gave up part of their lives to fight for our freedom, that includes freedom of religion. What happened here is deplorable,” Nuss said.

Previous reports indicated that Drouncheck said the flags were removed because they were tattered and torn.

The veterans said Sunday that the only damage to the flags were tears in the fabric caused by church personnel who ripped the flags from the wooden stakes that secured them to the grave markers.

“Our policy is that if any flag is missing or deteriorated, people should contact the VFW to have them replaced,” said VFW 8008 Chaplain Ted Dacey Sr.

Nesquehoning attorney Robert T. Yurchak is assisting the veterans group at no charge.

“If the flags become worn and tattered, they shall be replaced,” DeMarco said, concerning federal flag protocol.

“Our utmost goal, let us put the flags back. That’s all we’re looking for,” DeMarco said.

mlight@standardspeaker.com

[1861]

thanks for sharing , and that priest needs alot more than a reprimend .

[normanvin]

I saw this story on the local news. the flags were not just pulled they were snaped off.

[billamj]

This man needs to answer to the diocese and more importantly to the people of his parrish. This is totally unacceptable!

[P89]

I guess he's not a God fearing man.
I hope hell has a nice warm spot for him.

[jahwarrior72]

he must've ran out of boys to molest. he needs a brass knuckle cock punch.

[Legion_Prime]

Fuck a reprimand, this piece of shit needs to be taken out back with some rubber hose.

[Pa. Patriot]

Since it looks like we'll be heading down to Nesquehoning VFW to sign the petition, anyone want to have a meet-n-greet in the Nesquehoning-Jim Thorpe area?

We could have a lunch on Sat or something and then all head over to give them a bunch of signatures.

[schr8er2000]

If ya make it later in the day ( late afternoon) or so I can make it.. work until 3:15... so 4:30 or so would be better for me... otherwise let me know and I can sign it before you guys take it down there....

[Atomic Dog]

You guys are rather "unforgiving" to a guy who seems to have made an honest oversight.


We are all human, He learned that his actions were offensive, problem solved.