Yesterday a fire destroyed the century-old Catholic church in Morinville, AB
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Newsdesk (July 1, 2021 14:04, Gaudium Press) Another Catholic church was set on fire in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Residents witnessed the moment when the bell tower and the church’s roof collapsed, up in flames. It was the “heart and soul” of the town of Morinville, where it had stood for more than a century, according to Mayor Barry Turner.
“What happened was a terrible and tragic event for our community,” Morinville’s mayor said at a press conference hours after St. Jean Baptiste Church caught fire.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said this fire appears to be a hate crime and called it “unacceptable.”
“These targeted attacks on Christian churches are attempts to destroy the spiritual sites that are important to people of faith in Alberta, including many Indigenous people,” Kenney said.
The Premier added that he had instructed police in the province to intensify “monitoring and protection of potential local targets.”
Canada’s prime minister
Yesterday, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau showed his displeasure with the several recent church fires across Canada, saying that “destroying places of worship, is not the way to go.”
Trudeau’s comments come after several investigations into the “suspicious” fires – some believe to be criminal – at several Catholic and Anglican churches in recent weeks.
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
