CatholicVote: Over 500 Catholic churches attacked since 2020

By lauraharris // 2025-09-03

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A CatholicVote report reveals that 521 Catholic churches have been attacked across the U.S. since May 2020, with a significant spike after the 2022 leak of the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
While some incidents involved theft, the majority were acts of vandalism, arson or sacrilege, indicating ideological or anti-religious motives rather than financial ones.
CatholicVote criticized the Biden administration for taking little action during his presidency to address the rise in anti-Catholic violence, with only about 30 percent of cases leading to arrests or charges.
California (69), New York (60) and Pennsylvania (36) lead in reported incidents, with attacks occurring in 43 states and Washington, D.C.
In response, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced over $100 million in federal funds through FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program to help around 600 faith-based groups enhance their physical security.

A new report by the religious advocacy group CatholicVote has revealed that more than 500 Catholic churches across the United States have been targeted in acts of vandalism, arson, theft and violence. According to the latest data from CatholicVote, Catholic churches have experienced 521 attacks since May 2020. Notably, 355 of those occurred after the May 2022 leak of the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, which ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade, a landmark ruling on abortion rights. In 2020, there were 60 reported attacks, increasing to 83 in 2021. That number surged to 143 in 2022, followed by 108 in 2023, 86 in 2024, and 41 so far in 2025. (Related: Historic Catholic Church in France destroyed in arson attack.) The states with the highest number of incidents include California with 69 attacks, followed by New York (60), Pennsylvania (36), Texas (26), Florida (23) and New Jersey (20). Both Ohio and Oregon reported 18 attacks each, while Colorado saw 17 and Massachusetts reported 16. The organization criticized the former Biden administration for a muted or inadequate reaction to a sustained campaign of religiously motivated violence throughout his four-year presidency. "The vandalism we are seeing today is quickly rising to levels that haven't been seen since the late 1800s and early 1900s from organized groups such as the Know-Nothings and the Ku Klux Klan," CatholicVote President Brian Burch said, adding that only about 30 percent of these cases resulted in arrests or charges. Additionally, the group noted that while a small number of cases involved theft, the vast majority were acts of property destruction, arson or sacrilege, suggesting the motivation is primarily ideological rather than financial. This growing wave of anti-Catholic hostility, according to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, has sparked urgent concerns over religious freedom, domestic extremism and public safety.

DHS announces $100 million in security funding for faith-based groups

In response to a growing wave of violence targeting religious institutions, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced more than $100 million in federal funding to help faith-based organizations across the country bolster their security. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem unveiled the new initiative in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, emphasizing the Trump administration's commitment to defending communities of faith. "In the face of violent criminals and radical organizations intent on hurting American communities, the Trump Administration is helping houses of worship, schools and community centers to harden their defenses against attacks and protect themselves," Noem wrote on her official account on X. The funds will be distributed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Nonprofit Security Grant Program and are expected to support security projects for approximately 600 religious and community groups nationwide. Funded measures include the installation of security cameras, access control systems, perimeter gates, lighting and staff training for emergency preparedness and response. "Instead of using grant money to fund climate change initiatives and political pet projects, we are using this money to protect American communities, especially places where people gather in prayer," Noem said. A senior DHS official echoed the sentiment, noting the universal right to worship in safety: "Whether they pray in a church, a mosque or a synagogue, all Americans should be able to practice their religion without fear of terrorism and violence." Visit Violence.news for more stories like this. Watch the video below to see before and after photos of the Notre Dame Cathedral following the 2019 fire that destroyed parts of the famous cathedral.

This video is from the Big Bang Videos channel on Brighteon.com.

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DHS announces $100 million in security funding for faith-based groups

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