III. Current Events
November 15, 2020
November 15, 2020 Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Washington State was damaged by an incendiary device dropped through a broken window. Fortunately, damage was slight. Two hours later, a nearby Baptist church’s interior was severely damaged by an unknown source. Police are still investigating the latter.
Recent Incidents of Vandalism against the Catholic Church in the U.S. and Canada:
September 15, 2020 A vandal destroyed a statue of Jesus at St. Patrick Cathedral in El Paso, Texas. Someone entered the sanctuary of St. Patrick’s Cathedral Tuesday morning and destroyed a nearly 90-year-old statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The statue had been placed behind the main altar of the church, which was open for prayer at the time of the vandalism. The statue is an “irreplaceable loss” and cannot be repaired. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/el-paso-catholic-cathedral-suffers-vandalism-attack-62365
September 9, 2020 – A man went on an hours-long vandalism spree at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Tioga, Louisiana. Damaged were at least six windows, several metal doors and numerous statues on the parish grounds. Fortunately, the parish security cameras caught the entire incident and the culprit was arrested and confessed to the damage two days later. The church recently withstood hurricane Laura with no damage except to two security cameras. Two others were functioning and captured the incident.
September 7, 2020 – Video captured a man and woman breaking into St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral in St. Catherines, Ontario and stole the tabernacle with the consecrated hosts in it. It was later found the next day partially submerged in a body of water. The hosts may have dissolved after being exposed to the water. The thieves have not been captured.
August 1, 2020 – A Molotov cocktail – bottle filled with a flammable liquid – was thrown and exploded at Sacred Heart Church in Weymouth, MA. Fire damaged the entrance to the church.
July 23rd – City of Ventura, CA removed the statue of St. Junipero Serra from a park in front of City Hall and another inside the building after the city council voted for their removal ceding to the clamor that Father Serra was “Father genocide.”
July 18th – Monument to unborn children killed by abortion was knocked over at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Bloomingburg, NY.
July 17th – Drunken women deface Jesus statue in Calgary, Alberta.
July 16th – St. John’s Church in New Haven, CT vandalized with anarchist and satanic symbols part of St. Mary’s Parish where Fr. Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882.
July 16th – City Council of Ventura, CA voted 6-0 to remove statue of St. Junípero Serra from grounds of city hall.
July 16th – Status of Christ toppled at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Miami.
July 13th – A statue of Christ at a ski resort in Whitefish, Montana was painted and festooned with flags reading “Rise Up” and #BLM.” The local K of C maintain the shrine placed in honor or WWII vets.
July 11th – two statues of the Blessed Virgin were torched adjacent to Catholic churches in Boston.
July 11th – a Florida man set fire to a Catholic parish in Orlando FL as parishioners were preparing for morning Mass.
July 11th – Statue of Blessed Mother vandalized at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Chattanooga, TN. Police forwarded the incident to the Department of Homeland Security calling it a hate crime.
July 11th – massive fire destroys the roof and interior of the eighteenth century St. Gabriel Mission church established by Father Serra in 1771. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the fire as a possible arson attack.
July 10th – Vandals damaged a statue of the Virgin Mary at Cathedral Prep School and Seminary in Queens.
July 5th – Crucifix at a shrine belonging to the St. Bernadette’s Parish in Rockford, IL was smashed with a hammer.
July 4th – Rioters pulled down a statue of St. Junípero Serra at the California state capitol in Sacramento.
July 3rd – Vandals damaged a state of the Blessed Virgin at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Gary, IN.
June 29th – St. Louis priest and laity defend statue of St. Louis before angry protesters.
Late June – Anthony Weinert pulled down a statue of the Ten Commandments outside Flathead County Courthouse in Montana.
June 19th – Rioters tore down a statue of St. Serra in Los Angeles.
June 19th – Rioters tore down a statue of St. Junípero Serra in Golden State Park, San Francisco.
May 22nd – Vandals used power saws and grinders to behead Catholic bronze religious statues in the diocese of Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario.
(multiple sources from www.catholicnewsagency.com and www.lifesitenews.com)