BRISTOL, R.I. (WPRI) — A Bristol church is looking for answers after church leaders say its poor box was stolen sometime Tuesday.
Around 4 p.m. Tuesday, a maintenance worker at the church noticed the box was missing, and pieces of the wall were scattered on the floor.
Fr. Henry Zinno serves as the pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Bristol.
“Our parish, like most communities of faith in this area, help people out in so many different ways, and always happy to help out and to see that the poor box stolen is just sad because we want to help others,” Zinno said.
Zinno says most Catholic churches have a box like this used to collect money to help the poor, which is why it’s named “the poor box.”
“Our St. Vincent Aid Society will help out those in need. Sometimes people have a problem paying a mortgage or an electric bill or need food or prescription help and we try to help out all those situations,” Zinno said.
Zinno says he’s not sure how much money was stolen or why, but it won’t stop the church from continuing to give.
