Washington D.C., Dec 21, 2022 / 16:00 pm
Recent incidents of vandalism committed against a church in Alaska represent an “attack on the dignity of each person and their religious practice,” wrote Archbishop Andrew Bellisario of the Diocese of the Anchorage-Juneau in a letter to parishioners.
In his Dec. 9 letter, Bellisario called attention to two recent acts of vandalism that took place at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Eagle River.
“We do not know what has motivated people to do these serious and disturbing actions,” Bellisario wrote. “These are especially significant in the context of the many expressions of anger that have become so commonplace in our society, our political system, and even our Church. This must be called out for its attack on the dignity of each person and their religious practice.”
Last month vandals spray-painted profane images on the church walls and doors, according to a report by the Alaska Watchman. The images were identical to those painted on the church in May, two days after the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade went public. At that time vandals also scattered nails across the church’s parking lot.