Joe Bukuras

By Joe Bukuras

CNA Staff, Nov 6, 2023 / 15:45 pm

The Cathedral of the Annunciation in Stockton, California, was vandalized on the morning of Nov. 5 with white paint splattered across the church’s signs and front doors, with law enforcement currently investigating if the vandalism constituted a hate crime against the church.

Stockton police described the vandalism as “white paint randomly applied to the front door area, a walkway, and landscaping area as well as a flatbed trailer parked.”

The vandalism is believed to have occurred around 5:45 a.m., according to police. Law enforcement will be investigating if the vandalism was a hate crime. 

There have been no arrests in the case and a suspect has not yet been identified, a police spokesman told CNA on Monday. 

Diocese of Stockton Bishop Myron Cotta said in a statement Sunday that he was “deeply saddened” to learn about the attack on the church.

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated parish staff and parishioners for their swift assistance in managing the situation,” Cotta said in the statement. 

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He also gave a “special thanks” to the Stockton Police Department for its “prompt response” arriving at the scene.

The city of Stockton is located south of Sacramento and just east of San Francisco.

The cathedral on Sunday posted photos of the vandalism to Facebook.

The cathedral on its Facebook page said it is “alive with the Holy Spirit.”

“Thanks to our amazing parishioners [who] volunteered their pressure-washing equipment and talent, and our maintenance person who will finish off the details on the doors,” the post said.

“Thank you to the community for your prayers. God is good!” the church wrote.

Numerous acts of vandalism against Catholic churches have occurred around the U.S. in recent months.

Last month, two Catholic churches in Massachusetts were vandalized, one being the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. 

In August, police arrested a man suspected of attempting to light an Ohio church on fire in addition to heavily vandalizing it, causing an estimated $20,000 in damages.

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In June and July, a church in El Paso, Texas, and a school in Denver were targeted as well.

Joe Bukuras
Joe Bukuras is a multi-award-winning journalist and a law student at the University of Massachusetts. Formerly a staff reporter for CNA, Joe has covered several high-profile legal battles, including those of Mark Houck, former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and Father James Jackson. His exclusive reporting has been cited by leading news sources such as The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, People, The New York Post, The Times of Israel, The Telegraph, The Guardian, Fox News, and Daily Mail UK.