Fran Arieta was taking her regular daily walk in the Our Lady of Mount Carmel cemetery in Nesquehoning on Nov. 18, when pausing at her father's grave, she became aware that something was missing.

"The first thing I noticed was the flags had been removed from the vets' graves," she said.The priest who had them removed from the cemetery, known as the Gate of Heaven, the Rev. Anthony M. Drouncheck, says he was within his rights and that the flags were worn and blowing into a neighbor's yard.