Vandalism

The Latest

A statue of St. Junipero Serra, which was defaced and torn down by protesters Oct. 12, at Mission San Rafael Arcangel in San Rafael, California. Courtesy photo.

St. Junipero Serra statue defaced, pulled down on California's Indigenous People’s Day

Oct 13, 2020

By Jonah McKeown

A group of activists near San Francisco on Monday defaced a statue of St. Junipero Serra on private property with... Read more

Vandalism at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio. Courtesy photo.

Vandal takes baseball bat to Catholic seminary in Texas, but none harmed

Sep 25, 2020

By Kevin J. Jones

A man who wielded a baseball bat on the grounds of a Catholic seminary in Texas damaged a crucifix and... Read more

Spoleto Cathedral in Umbria, central Italy.

St. John Paul II relic stolen amid church robberies in Italy

Sep 24, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

This week a relic of St. Pope John Paul II was stolen from a cathedral in central Italy, while a... Read more

Statue of Christ damaged in St. Patrick's Cathedral, El Paso.

El Paso cathedral suffers vandalism attack

Sep 16, 2020

By Christine Rousselle

A vandal destroyed a statue of Jesus at St. Patrick Cathedral in El Paso, Texas on Tuesday, the latest in an... Read more

US Senator asks attorney general to fight anti-Catholic vandalism

Aug 13, 2020

A United States senator has asked the nation’s attorney general to intensify efforts to fight the vandalism that has been... Read more

The base of a beheaded statue at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Denver.

Denver archbishop praying for conversion after St. Jude statue beheaded

Aug 13, 2020

By JD Flynn

After the statue of a saint was beheaded outside a Denver parish, the city’s archbishop said he’s praying for the... Read more

Queen of Peace Catholic Church after a fire July 11.

Anti-Catholic attacks merit national media scrutiny, Irish-American group says

Jul 15, 2020

National news media cannot ignore intolerance against Catholics, the Ancient Order of Hibernians has said, citing recent attacks on Catholic... Read more

In Montana, man tears down Ten Commandments monument at county courthouse grounds

Jun 30, 2020

A man has been arrested for allegedly tearing down a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of a county courthouse... Read more

The Poolse Maria Kapel (Polish Mary Chapel) in Breda, the Netherlands.

Vandals deface image of Poland’s Black Madonna in Dutch city

Jun 24, 2020

The mayor of a Dutch town has condemned vandals who defaced an image of Our Lady of Częstochowa and daubed... Read more

Bellarmine University.

Report: Vandals on Catholic campus target pro-life community

Feb 1, 2018

Recent vandalism on the Catholic campus of Bellarmine University reportedly targeted the school’s pro-life community, destroying a “Cemetery of Innocents”... Read more

Fouad Twal, then-Patriarch of Jerusalem, inspects damage to the Church of the Multiplication from the June 18, 2015 arson attack.

Israeli extremist sentenced for arson attack on Holy Land church

Dec 14, 2017

An arson attack on the church complex at the site of Christ’s multiplication of loaves and fish on the Sea... Read more

Amid nationwide controversy, St Junipero Serra statue vandalized in L.A.

Aug 21, 2017

A statue of St. Junipero Serra in a Los Angeles public park appeared to have been vandalized last week in... Read more

Satanic attack on relic of Christ found at Spain monastery

May 8, 2017

Police are investigating a case of vandalism with satanic messages at a Spanish monastery, which took place on a reliquary... Read more

Pranks against a Catholic high school crossed the line, parents say

Sep 6, 2016

Parents are outraged after religious pranks at a football game in Arizona included vandalism of a statue of Mary and... Read more

Missionaries of Charity.

Eucharist desecrated, Missionaries of Charity assaulted in Argentina

Aug 30, 2016

The community of the Missionaries of Charity in Mar del Plata, Argentina, became the target of criminals late last week,... Read more

Eucharistic Adoration.

Over 200 consecrated hosts stolen, desecrated in Spain art exhibit

Nov 23, 2015

Critics of Pamplona’s city council say it deliberately attacked Catholics and broke Spanish law by using city property to display... Read more

A firefighter surveys the devastation following an arson attack on the Church of the Multiplication in Tabgha, Israel, June 18, 2015.

Catholics in Holy Land aggrieved by arson attack on monastery in Israel

Jun 19, 2015

Catholic leaders have been joined by Israeli leaders in their concerned reaction to Thursday's attack on a church located on... Read more

Eucharistic Adoration.

After theft, Argentines donate prized possessions, wedding rings for new monstrance

May 12, 2015

Large numbers of the faithful are donating gold and silver belongings to forge a new monstrance after a theft in... Read more

Eucharistic Adoration.

Amid string of break-ins, Bishop of Ars removes Blessed Sacrament from parishes

Feb 18, 2015

Bishop Pascal Roland of Belley-Ars in France has ordered that the Blessed Sacrament be removed from all chapels and churches... Read more

Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem was closed on May 27, 2014 after an arson attack set fire to crosses in the church the day before.

Holy Land: Vandal tries to set fire to Dormition Abbey

May 28, 2014

As Pope Francis concluded his trip to the Holy Land on May 26, an unknown man attempted to set fire... Read more