PO'd janitor uses bolt cutters to drop Mary Poppins mannequin to cathedral floor; 'Father this is bullshit... it's Disney crap!'

St. Cecilia, home of the Omaha Archdiocese, festooned with at least a dozen
signs designed to intimidate liberal politicians like Bob Kerrey (whose signage
was in a supporter's yard across 40th St.) who disagree with it on matters like
civil marriage equality. Kerrey recently lost a bid to regain his Senate seat..

Omaha World-Herald columnist Michael Kelly reports that a mannequin Mary Poppins, suspended from the ceiling of St. Cecilia's Cathedral in keeping with the "A Night at the Movies" theme of the 31st annual Cathedral Flower Festival, was cut down with bolt cutters by the church's custodian, Mark Kenney.
     Rev. Michael Gutgsell knew Kenney hated the display but didn't think he'd take action. Gutgsell's explanation: ‘Father, this is bullshit! We can’t have this in the church. This isn’t culture, it’s Disney crap!’ ”

Kenney, who said he confessed his sin to a priest at another Catholic church, feels “closer to God than ever.” He could have handled things differently, he said, and recalls walking through the cathedral in the immediate aftermath and thinking, “What did I do now?”
     But he says he is at peace with it, and in a letter to the archbishop objected to “pop art” and “absurd, secular cultural icons” in the cathedral.

     Kenney spent the night in jail and will be sentenced March 24.
     Kelly reports that he was fired, and his archdiocesan “safe environment” certificate was revoked, meaning he no longer can work or volunteer when children are present.
     Because in any Catholic Church safeguarding kids is job 1.


Above: The fantastically expensive pipe organ of St. Cecilia's, the seat of the Archdiocese of Omaha, one of the few such instruments on the planet which have both meantone and well-tempered pipes.
     Stanford University and a church in Dresden also have such an organ, but, sadly, with a narrower range.
     Without preferential tax treatment, The Church might have to make do with a cheap electronic organ or rude polyester vestments or candles not made of real wax or even those horrible goddamn electric candle lights that flip on when you drop your coin in the box.
     Oh, one last thing: the Omaha Archdiocese brazenly flouts the law prohibiting politicking within close proximity of polling places.