POPE DOPE! Campus Ministry steams at Francis cutout theft

The McGinley Center’s cardboard cutout of Pope Francis, which has been displayed in front of the Campus Ministry office since the beginning of the school year, was stolen over Thanksgiving break, officials confirmed to Fordham Daily.

Fordham’s Department of Public Safety has been alerted of the theft and is in the process of reviewing security footage.

Rev. Philip A. Florio, S.J., assistant vice president of Mission and Ministry, said that the Pope Francis cutout has become a mainstay of campus ministry, which makes its theft all the more troubling.

“Our kids love him and taking selfies with him,” Fr. Florio said. “I want the cutout back. I think it’s a disgrace that someone would take something like that.”

This is the second straight year Campus Ministry has had to deal with thefts during Advent- last year a student stole the black baby Jesus from one of Fordham’s Nativity scenes.