This is the highest number compared to the last five years, when cases in the country began to be recorded.
Newsroom (04/29/2023 21:01, Gaudium Press) A survey conducted by the ‘Family Research Council’ revealed an alarming increase in the number of attacks against Catholic temples in the United States in the first quarter of this year 2023.
In the first semester alone, 69 attacks
According to the report, during this period 69 incidents of vandalism, arson, weapons-related incidents, bomb threats and other forms of hostility against the Catholic Church were reported in the country.
According to the study, entitled ‘Hostility Against Churches‘, in the first half of this year alone there were: 53 incidents of vandalism; 10 arson attacks, attempted arson or fires with unknown causes; 3 incidents related to firearms; and 3 bomb threats.
Growth of attacks against the Catholic Church
January was the period in which the highest number of incidents occurred (43), followed by February with (14) and March with (12). Following this trend, the amount of incidents this year will be the highest since the six years when this type of research began to be conducted in the country.
Compared to the previous five years, the increase in the number of attacks is noticeable. In 2018, during this same period 15 attacks were recorded, in the year 2019 there were 12, in 2021 there were 14, and in 2022 the number reached 22. In the first half of 2020 no attacks against the Catholic Church were recorded in the country during the first half of the year.
Persecution against Catholics in several states in the country
In total, 29 states were hit by the attacks, although most of them happened in North Carolina, with seven occurrences, followed by Tennessee and Ohio, with five episodes. In addition, Florida, Missouri, and Pennsylvania recorded four incidents each.
Although the months of February and March recorded fewer attacks compared to January 2023, the numbers cause concern among Catholics in the country as they are too high compared to previous years. (EPC)
Compiled by Teresa Joseph
