13 Years of Animal Feces Damage Rectory
From Associated Press
January 25, 2006 6:13 PM EST
DYER, Ind. - A Roman Catholic church rectory is undergoing more than $100,000 in renovations because of damage caused by more than 13 years of neglect and accumulated animal waste, the church\'s pastor said.
The Rev. Terry Steffens said in a letter to parishioners that when he arrived at St. Joseph Church in July, he discovered severe damage to the rectory and has been living at a rectory of a church in nearby Schererville.
The letter said Bishop Dale Melczek had advised Steffens to have the rectory in Dyer, 10 miles southwest of Gary, fumigated before he moved in.
The person hired to clean the rectory over a six-week period told Steffens he had become sick to his stomach from cleaning one of the rectory\'s rooms that was heavily saturated with feces from dogs, rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs.
The Associated Press left a message seeking comment Wednesday for Steffens at his office. He told The Times of Munster on Tuesday he had been advised not to talk about the situation.
The AP also left a message Wednesday for the Rev. Mark Pavlina, the previous pastor at St. Joseph.
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