Free Republic

Criminals sharing abortion-rights sentiments targeted a church in Boulder Tuesday night, smashing windows and spray painting Sacred Heart of Mary Church in Boulder. The Catholic church, and the Archdiocese in Denver, said the vandalism to the property will cost thousands of dollars to repair. Parishioners of the Boulder County church showed up for morning mass to find anti-catholic and abortion rights messages spray-painted on their buildings. Windows were smashed, and messages of universal healthcare were also left on sculptures. “Once again a parish community showed up for a morning mass and had to walk in and witness that their parish...

Investigators suspect arson in a fire that destroyed St. John Vianney Church in Hacienda Heights over the weekend. "The investigators have been quite definitive to me, this was very definitely a deliberate act," Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, told the Los Angeles Times. The arson at St. John Vianney Church is the latest in a string of crimes against Catholic institutions across California. In January, a vandal spray-painted the words “Kill the Cathlics” on the walls of St. Boniface Catholic Church in Anaheim and St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Irvine. Beginning in December...

NEW BOSTON (March 19, 2010)— SNIPPET: "At least 35 bullet holes were discovered March 12 when a security light was changed at the church near New Boston. Authorities say they may have been made by shotgun pellets. Hilton told the Texarkana Gazette that it must have happened since January when the steeple was tightened, because the bullet holes weren’t there then. Bowie County Sheriff’s Office investigator Robby McCarver said Friday it looks like someone was trying to shoot out a street light and "the church was in the background and got hit."" SNIPPET: "New Boston is about 100 miles northeast...

Vandal Damages Church, Leaves Dog To Die POSTED: Sunday, April 5, 2009 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The congregation at the Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church were challenged to show their forgiveness at Sunday services -- two days after vandals did thousands of dollars of damage to their place of worship. Someone broke in through a plate glass window, sprayed graffiti on walls and damaged a piano. The vandal entered with a pit bull and police believe both got hurt while inside because there was human and animal blood all over the church. When church members discovered the vandalism, the dog was still...

Fullerton police have arrested three boys suspected of attacking a minister and his family as they were driving to his church. The suspects were arrested shortly after the Friday night attack on Willie Holmes, president and founder of International Nondenominational Assemblies, but their arrests weren't revealed until Sunday. Each of the boys was booked on suspicion of felony vandalism, assault with a deadly weapon and being a gang member. Their names were withheld because of the their ages. Holmes had said a group of youths stepped in front of his car Friday night and began throwing rocks, bricks and bottles....

Vandals spray-painted swastikas on a Catholic church in San Francisco's Castro District Saturday night. It appears the vandals are upset about the Catholic church's support of Proposition 8, which made same-sex marriage illegal in California. But, the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church on Diamond Street is gay-friendly. Many parishioners voted against Prop 8 and they are upset their church was targeted. "We're very disturbed by the hierarchy's support of the Yes on Eight Campaign. We've been in conversation with the bishop, which is the way I think we need to handle it. I think Catholic teaching shows us we're all...

Church Vandalized With 'No On 8' Tags Messages Spray-Painted On Walkways At Orangevale Chapel ORANGEVALE, Calif. -- A Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel was tagged by vandals who are apparent opponents of a same-sex marriage ban that voters recently passed. The church's main sign was tagged with a "No on 8" message, as were several walkways. A message that said "hypocrites" was also painted on the property. "It is evident that the election results for the constitutional marriage amendment will not mean an end to the debate over same-sex marriage in this state, or our country," regional...

LONG BEACH, Calif. A statue of Jesus at a Long Beach Catholic church was beheaded the day after Christmas, possibly by skateboarders who had been shooed off the grounds by a priest, it was reported Friday. Skateboarders have been at odds with members of St. Cyprian Catholic Church, at Clark Avenue and Arbor Road, since September over their use of the church's bench, hand rails, stairs and other property for their sport, the Press-Telegram reported. While it is unknown if skateboarders are responsible for the attacks on the statue of Jesus and elsewhere on church grounds, church officials told the...

Locking up the church Since nothing's too sacred for vandal Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle s, some doors are bolted - yet one pastor welcomed the man who stole his church's musical instruments. By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com CHEYENNE - Area churches hit by vandals and burglars are doing what they can to their protect property, and that often means locking up their open-door policies. Since his church was burglarized last July, Miracle Valley Assembly of God's pastor, Ed Fugate, has installed alarms and cameras at the Walnut Drive church. Shortly after his church was hit by the same vandals, the...

February 7, 2006 Five Santa Cruz churches target of 'hate crime' By Cathy Smith sentinel staff writer SANTA CRUZ — Vandals struck five Santa Cruz churches, a Christian bookstore and the historic Santa Cruz Mission Adobe on Saturday night in what police are calling a hate crime. The vandals used a stencil to leave specially crafted messages and images about a half-foot across. One depicted a cross with an equal sign followed by a swastika. Church leaders said another stated "Abort Christ," a message one minister called "stunning and distressing." The targeted churches included Holy Cross, Messiah Lutheran, High Street...