There have been more than 500 alleged attacks on Catholic churches in the United States since May 2020, according to CatholicVote, a faith advocacy organization. The latest attack happened May 6 in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania.
Police said a man was seen on surveillance video lighting an explosive on an altar inside a Catholic church, WFMZ reported. The priest of St. Teresa of Calcutta Church said the suspect placed a quarter stick of dynamite on the altar, which exploded and caused thousands of dollars in damage.
“I don’t know what was going through his head or his mind,” Rev. Kevin Gallagher told WFMZ. “But it was something he had planned out.”
So far in 2025, there have been 22 alleged attacks on Catholic churches.
Spike in attacks traced back to 2020 unrest
CatholicVote tracked each of the 500 incidents dating back to May 28, 2020. That’s when protests and riots erupted nationwide over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.
During one riot, someone threw bottles of flammable fluid into the pews of the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, which started a fire. An investigation didn’t result in any arrests.
As the unrest continued that summer, churches from New York to California were vandalized with graffiti, property damage, statue beheadings, fires and theft.
Attacks following overturn of Roe v. Wade
In 2022, after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, dozens of churches were attacked by abortion rights activists.
In May 2022, someone vandalized the Archdiocese of Miami’s Respect Life Office.
“If abortions aren’t safe, then neither are you” was written on the building alongside “Jane’s Revenge.” Jane’s Revenge is an abortion-rights group that uses violent and illegal methods to target places and organizations it sees as opposing abortion access.
Months later, in December 2022, Fox News reported on a case out of Omaha, Nebraska, in which Jane’s Revenge allegedly sent a threatening letter to a Catholic-affiliated center and local church.
“If our right to abortion in Bellevue is taken away due to the attempt to pass an abortion ban and it gets passed, we will shoot up your Newman Center with our new AR-14 rifles. Sincerely, Jane’s Revenge,” the note said. The note was found outside the John Paul II Newman Center near the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Scott Campus.
Federal response and concerns over prosecution
CatholicVote said it sent numerous letters to former President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice, asking then-Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the attacks.
During a press briefing on May 9, 2022, then-press secretary Jen Psaki said, “We have seen [vandalism] at Catholic churches. That’s unacceptable. The President does not support that.” Psaki added, “We have seen it at some conservative organizations. That — we don’t support that…We know the passion. We understand the passion. We understand the concern. But what the President’s position is is that that should be peaceful — the protests.”
According to the faith advocacy group, in June 2022, the Department of Homeland Security warned Catholic bishops of credible threats against churches and clergy following the Roe v. Wade decision. A federal terrorism bulletin cautioned that faith-based institutions could be targeted for violence.
In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at eradicating “anti-Christian bias.”
The executive order created a task force to address alleged “anti-Christian” policies, prosecute related crimes and recommend actions to safeguard religious freedom.
Attacks on Catholic churches have occurred in 43 states and Washington, D.C., with the highest numbers reported in California, New York and Pennsylvania. Other heavily affected states include Florida, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, Colorado, Oregon and Massachusetts.
CatholicVote found that suspects have been arrested in about 30% of the cases.
contributed to this report.
