Boston, Mass., Oct 12, 2022 / 16:38 pm
A Catholic church in Lansing, Michigan, has released a security video that captured three hooded individuals vandalizing the church Oct. 8 with pro-abortion and anti-Catholic graffiti.
The three individuals can be seen approaching the Church of the Resurrection on East Michigan Avenue on foot and spray-painting graffiti on the walkway, the doors, and the church’s sign before fleeing the scene. It happened just before midnight.
Anyone with information about the vandalism should contact the Lansing Police Department.
The graffiti contained hateful and vulgar messages that lashed out at the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that federally legalized abortion nationwide.
The words “Abort the court” and “Death to Christian nationalism” were spray-painted in black on the walkway in front of the steps at the Church of the Resurrection. The vandals also painted a cross with a slash through it between those two statements.
Two upside-down red crosses were left on two of the church’s doors as well.
More red graffiti on the walkway spelled out “Feminism not fascism,” “smash patriarchy,” “Restore Roe,” and “Is overturning Roe worth your life or your democracy?”
Other graffiti, both on the walkway and the church’s LED-lighted sign, contained explicit language. A photo shows young children being exposed to the language as they walked out of Mass on Oct. 9.
One of the messages on the church’s sign read, “Kill all Christian nationalists.”
The church’s pastor, Father Steve Mattson, told CNA Wednesday that the cost of damages is estimated at $15,000. The Lansing Police Department is investigating the matter, he said.
Mattson said that the church’s sign now reads: “To whoever vandalized the sign, we forgive you and we’re praying for you.’”
The night before the sign was vandalized, Mattson said, a parishioner had offered her testimony of conversion and healing after having procured an abortion years ago.
“I think in a spiritual way, this [vandalism] happening that night was a certain sign to us that the healing that the Lord offers is something Satan hates,” he said.
Rather than being discouraged by these acts of vandalism, the parish is encouraged in their pro-life values, Mattson said. He added that he felt sad for the vandals and will pray for their conversion.
Damage from vandalism with pro-abortion messaging has become a common sight for Catholics and pro-lifers in the past several months. A rise in reports began in May, when the decision in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was leaked to the media showing Roe v. Wade was poised to be overturned.
Since the incidents began, some arrests have been made in church vandalism cases. Out of the over 50 pro-life pregnancy centers that have been vandalized, however, not one arrest has been reported.
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