DARNESTOWN, Md. — Tucked away on the side of Our Lady of Visitation Parish is a small concrete slab where a statue of the church's namesake should be.
"My custom is to bow to the statute and say, 'Good morning, Mary.' And I bowed and there was nothing there," recalled Father Greg Shaffer of his morning routine a week ago Saturday. "And, I just – my heart sank."
Shaffer says in dollars and cents, the statue isn't of any great value.
"A few hundred dollars," he said.
Instead, he says this theft is personal for his parishioners.
"If someone took a picture of your mother – or a very important sentimental piece of your mother from you, it would be that personal. For us, it's deeply personal," he said.
On Feb. 10 around 10 p.m., a church security camera caught what appears to be two young women stealing the statue.
"The familiarity with where the statue is that suggests that they might be Catholic," Shaffer said. "Maybe a parishioner here or attended the school on our property."
"We think this is a prank that's gone horribly wrong," he said.
The police are involved, and the parish is asking for the public's help.
And parishioners are also praying, Shaffer said, not just for the statue's return, but for the thieves' redemption.
"People are sad. People are mad, but praying for these young people," he said. "I think Mary would want us to have this reaction."
"We're not looking to press charges," he said. "We just want Mary back."