January 4
La Grange, KY – A divorced-atheist father sued to keep his son from attending Catholic high school next year. Following the divorce, the child was ordered by a judge to remain in the Catholic school he was already attending. The father sued on the grounds that the Catholic high school would indoctrinate his son with religious convictions that he did not share.
January 20
Ridgewood, NJ – A gold-plated chalice was stolen from a safe at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.
January 25
Arlington, TX – A crown, veil, and New Testament were stolen from a Greek Orthodox bishop’s car.
January 25
Detroit, MI – A bronze statue of an angel was stolen from Assumption Grotto Catholic Church. The statue was valued at over $700.
February 9
Levittown, PA – Vandals smashed statues, spray-painted a penis and the words “God is dead,” and left a fake pipe bomb outside St. Michael the Archangel Church. Vandals also defaced a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in the same town.
February 10
Emmitsburg, MD – Two men vandalized the shrine at Mount St. Mary’s University. The men smashed glass and candles, removed a crucifix and threw it into a creek, and set fire to papers on the altar. The total damage was estimated at $1,500.
March 2
The Catholic League celebrated the 69th anniversary of the pontificate of Pope Pius XII by submitting a petition for the late pontiff’s beatification.
The league along with the Society of Catholic Social Scientists amassed a “Petition to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Beatification of Pope Pius XII,” which garnered over 9,000 signatures in three months. The petition read:
“With profound respect and sincere devotion, We, the undersigned, humbly request that the cause for the beatification of Pope Pius XII proceed without delay. Pius XII’s virtuous life speaks for itself and is supported by an abundance of incontestable documentary evidence. The truth regarding his service to the Church and the World, as a diplomat and during his pontificate, prior to and through the World War II period, is also historically established. He has been the victim of an unjust smear campaign for fifty years. Now, however, overwhelming evidence has been amassed that proves beyond doubt that he labored without pause for peace, that he sought to assist in every way possible the victims of war, especially Jews, hundreds of thousands of whom were spared through his efforts, and that he constantly warned the world of the horrors of Nazism and Communism. We urge that you honor this holy and brave Pontiff at the soonest possible date.”
It is our hope that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI heeds our request and beatifies Pius XII.
March 9
Centerport, NY – A bishop’s cross was stolen from a drawer in Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church.
March 10
Pictures surfaced, on a picture-hosting website, of three Mormon missionaries mocking Catholicism at the Sangre de Cristo Catholic Church in San Luis, Colorado. The pictures were originally taken in 2006. In the photos the missionaries preached the Book of Mormon from a Catholic altar, held the head of a broken statue, and pretended to sacrifice each other on the altar. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expressed disappointment and apologized for these actions.
March 14
South Miami-Dade, FL – Two teenagers set fire to St. Catherine of Siena Church and caused over $1 million in damage.
March 16, 23 & July 4
Houston, TX – On Palm Sunday, a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was damaged outside of All Saints Church. The statue was put in place in 1945 to honor veterans of World War II. A week later, on Easter Sunday, a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe was placed on its head and streaked with black paint. The vandals also spray-painted the words “Don’t let them worship idols. You are warned.” On Independence Day, the replacement statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe was vandalized and defaced.
March 21
Gardner, MA – Seven churches and a school were defaced with anti-Christian graffiti on Good Friday. Statements such as “Jesus is dead,” and “Jesus never rose again,” were spray-painted on the sides of various churches. The man responsible for the vandalism turned himself in a few days later.
April 6
Harvard, IL – Statues of Jesus and St. Joseph were decapitated, while the face of a Blessed Virgin statue was damaged at St. Joseph Church. The vandal was arrested and was forced to pay the church over $7,000 for the damages.
April 21
Effingham, KS – Arsonists set fire to St. Ann’s Catholic Church, destroying the 111-year-old building.
April 23
West Hempstead, NY – A homeless man broke into St. Thomas the Apostle Church and stole money out of two poor boxes before being found in a church stairwell.
May 1
Naperville, IL – A white plaster statue of the Blessed Virgin was stolen from Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. The statue was valued at $700.
May 20
Laconia, NH – A vandal set at least three fires to several altars at Sacred Heart Church. Along with the fires, the vandal tore pages from an altar prayer book.
May 30
West Jordan, UT – Arsonists threw a burning soda can full of gasoline through a window of St. Joseph the Worker Church. The fire caused damage to the curtains of the church.
June 13
Sauk City, WI – A Virgin Mary statue was stolen from St. Aloysius Catholic Church along with a processional torch and a prayer book. On June 28, the statue was found in a cemetery.
June 19
Germantown, TN – A statue of the Virgin Mary was decapitated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. A smaller statue of the Infant Jesus was vandalized as well.
June 23
Southington, CT – Two teenagers were arrested for desecrating the St. Aloysius Catholic Church. The two teens spray-painted satanic symbols, swastikas and obscene language. They were charged with desecration of property, a hate crime, criminal mischief and breach of peace.
August 15
West Warwick, RI – A teenager was arrested and charged with stealing up to $50,000 from Sts. John and James Catholic Church.
August 25
Naperville, IL – A man broke into Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and pushed over a statue of Jesus; the statue’s head broke off as a result of the fall. The statue was valued at $4,000.
September 9 & 15
Detroit, MI – Thieves stole a brass chandelier that dated back to the 1800s, several religious icons and the tabernacle from Most Holy Trinity Church. A few days later, vandals broke into St. John Neumann Church and stole items from there.
September 24
Philadelphia, PA — A bronze angel statue was stolen from the National Padre Pio Centre. The bronze statue was cast in the 1930s and had an estimated value of $60,000.
September 26
Pittsburgh, PA – A nun in her 60s was assaulted by another woman. The woman grabbed the nun by the throat, dragged her along the sidewalk, threw the nun against a fence and repeatedly punched her in the head. The woman was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
October 3
Ojai, CA – Paint was tossed on an antique marble statue of St. Thomas of Villanova at Villanova Preparatory School. Nine teenagers were arrested in connection with the vandalism.
November 1
Berlin, NH – A number of items were stolen and both the sanctuary and sound system were damaged at St. Anne’s Church. The estimated damage was between $15,000 and $20,000.
November 2
Deming, NM – Nothing was stolen, but a statue of the Blessed Mother was smashed, a picture of The Last Supper was damaged and eggs were spread across the floor at Holy Family Church and Fruit of the Vine Preschool.
November 8
Jensen Beach, FL – A man attempted to take a handful of Communion wafers from a priest before parishioners stopped him.
November 9
Berwyn, IL – Two guitars worth $3,500 were stolen from St. Leonard’s Church.
November 9
Edwardsville, IL – A burglar broke into St. Boniface Catholic Church in between services and stole $16,000 in cash and checks.
November 14
Newport Beach, CA – A bronze statue of the Blessed Virgin was stolen from Our Lady Queen of Angels Church. The statue was valued at $30,000.
November 15
Hialeah, FL – A tabernacle containing the Eucharist was stolen from St. John’s Catholic Church. The jeweled tabernacle was valued at $8,000.
November 15
Kenner, LA – A chalice and safe were taken from the Nativity of Our Lord Church. The chalice, which the parish priest received from his family for his ordination, was valued at $3,000 and the safe in which it was kept was valued at $2,000.
November 23
Taunton, MA – Vandals shot BB pellets through the windows of two vans owned by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The windows were all damaged and had to be replaced.
November 30
Jasper, AL – A gasoline bomb was thrown against the front door of St. Cecilia Catholic Church leaving damage to the church.
December 2
Washington, DC – The brass crucifix in the chapel at Washington Hospital Center was stolen.
December 4
Greenwood, MS – Vandals damaged a prayer box and broke stained-glass church windows at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.
December 7
Washington, DC – A thief stole $125 from a safe at St. Peter’s Church prior to Mass.
December 12
Sacramento, CA – A picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe was stolen from the altar after a service honoring the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
December 21
Bentleyville, PA – A statue of Jesus was spray-painted in a cemetery at Ave Maria Catholic Church.
December 25
Virginia Beach, VA – Following the last Christmas Mass, the rectory of Star of the Sea Catholic Church was broken into, leaving the priest’s car, laptop, DVD player, and even his vestments missing.
