St. Peter’s Catholic Church near Chinatown was vandalized in the early hours of Oct. 11, the day celebrated as Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Columbus Day in the U.S.
Red paint was splattered across the front of the church, including on a mosaic on the church’s façade. Graffiti was painted in several parts of the parish property, including a profanity on the steps of the church, and a banner reading “Stop colonizing our land” was draped on the steps of the church.
The LAPD Major Crimes Unit is investigating the attack as a hate crime.
St. Peter’s has served local Italian Catholics since 1904, and is the national Italian parish for Southern California.
Father Fernando Cuevas, who arrived at St. Peter’s as pastor earlier this year, said he was praying in the church Monday morning when members of the Chinatown Safety Patrol alerted him about the vandalism.
“I’m praying for all the people who are suffering from discrimination and isolation, that they can find harmony and peace in the hearts,” Father Cuevas told Angelus News on Monday.
“Our Church is a place of encounter where everyone is welcome. We forgive and look for the strength to do God’s will.”
The above comes from an Oct. 11 story in Angelus News.
It seems vandalism has replaced discussion (at least for some of our “woke” neighbors). Sad. There is a need for dialogue, which does not mean abandoning our Faith or history. As for our history, let’s have some honest, in context, even critical, discussions. Christians need not fear the truth. As the first Pope said, “In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15 To our neighbors, might we invite them, “Let’s talk”?
The Anti-Catholic folks are still out in force. A Bishop once told me “We don’t fight back. Just keep quiet.” The German Bishops said the same thing in the 1930s.
(By the way, that Bishop was not Archbishop Gomez nor Cardinal Roger Mahony.)
Turn the other cheek. Offer no resistance to injury. Do good to those who hate you.
Pray for those who persecute you
love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions Matthew 6:14-15
But there is also this:
“If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 18:15-18
the reason this is anonymous is that the website took it while I was still writing and before I put my name in.
that happens to me too. sometimes I try to click on my name but it disappears and I inadvertently click on the post comment button beneath it
I guess the website changed the anonymous to something else.
Cool, I’ll come to your house to steal, vandalize and assault since you won’t fight back or press charges.
I have known people who target Christians because they exploit Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness and love.
The evil man will not go unpunished. Proverbs 11:21
Just because I might not press charges or fight back doesn’t mean God won’t.
I remember when I was around 17, a mutual friend introduced me to his friend (a man in his early 30s) and told him that I was like that. He invited me to go out back in an alley with him. Our mutual friend told him no.
God knows everything you think and say and do.
I also know someone who stole from an elderly parent who had Alzheimers. I thought someone like that would do anything. Then I realized someone like that would do anything if they were sure that there would be no consequence to them for doing it.
But they forget that God sees everything.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10
America under Democrat rule.
It’s an Italian parish of the Catholic Church in America.
These hate activities increased during the reign of the “former guy!”
Barney, you’re right. Hate and division did increase during the reign of the “former guy,” Barack H. Obama. Thanks for the reminder. Readers may’ve forgotten.
Is the current guy to blame for anything?
Maybe reversing pro-life policies of the previous administration, to cite one example.
Doing damage is never acceptable, period. This action is a symptom of the distressing disturbance plaguing the nation. It is also the result of history being rewritten. To many, the conversion of the original inhabitants of the land is considered a victory for God. That is the story we read in our history books. Our texts, however, never showed the rest of the story, that of people being forced to give up their ways and their religion. Manifest Destiny was a positive thing according to the texts, but it was really stealing the land from its original owners. Our younger people, capable of searching out the real history of our expansion now demand that both sides of the story be told. But, doing damage is never an acceptable way to express descent.
Our young people have been brainwashed into being useful tools for the left.
It’s time to end this romantic view of the past culture of Indigenous tribes. Two hundred years have elapsed. Instead of medicine men dancing and chanting over the sick, we have modern medicine with all of its advances, education, science, computers, TV, cell phones, and literature. Indians have benefitted from this as well. It’s not acceptable for them to realize all these benefits, while committing crimes and vandalizations, for a long outdated culture. There is no question that todays Indigenous people would choose NOT to return to their past, because they will not give up the advantages of modern European and American science and culture. It’s time for them to realize they are Americans, and must also obey and be considerate of today’s laws, and that means respect for Freedom of Religion. No more vandalization of Churches!
John 16:33
In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.
There are many Catholics, many Christians suffering much worse than having paint thrown on their Church,
The most predominant religion among the people of the first nations is Catholicism.
Please treat people with respect when you speak about them and to them.
Listen to people. If there is injury, sow pardon.
As Catholics, we believe that the Catholic Faith is the greatest gift that God has given to the world. Each individual Catholic, Christian and non-Christian has their own journey. Please don’t behave in a manner that makes finding and travelling the path of salvation more difficult for someone.
Of course, we all probably do, inadvertently, and I know that I have, in my decades long journey, and it is a horrible grief of mine.
“…people being forced to give up their ways and their religion….” Well Bob One, if a person converts to Christianity, they ipso facto have to give up their previously held beliefs. That’s the nature of conversion. If by “forced” you are implying the friars put guns to their heads, that is a different matter but a strange accusation.
Why Italian Church-stop colonizing our land.
It was Spain who colonized it.
A few points here: there is documentary evidence that Columbus was not this Saint like explorer who discovered America. 1891 – a group of Italian immigrants kill a police chief, and arrested. Court case results in acquittal, angering locals and journalists, who hypothesize there was a Mafia influence. The jail is overrun before their release, and the Italians are executed. Italian Embassy demands justice while journalists praise the mob along with Teddy Roosevelt. Italy closes its embassy, and even was is discussed. To assuage Italy, money is sent and a 400th anniversary celebration is given. FDR, getting a political boost with the making of the day as a federal holiday. This, Columbus, despite his history with the Tiano tribe, is revered until recently his atrocious malhandling of the people is brought to light
The vandalism is a hate crime agreed. Do I think it part of an anti-Cstholic message, that’s not the theme. The issue is the man,not his heritage nor his religion. Nor is this some leftist plot, that’s confirmation bias – vandalism is a crime, and given the general impression of conservative view here, the crime need not be based solely on Liberals (or shall we bring up January 6th?).
Mike, these remarks about Columbus do not have relevance here, but rather an attempt to provide a smokescreen for the actions of the political left. This is about the vandalization of Catholic Churches – it must stop, and the left is clearly complicit in provoking these actions.
(or shall we bring up January 6th?). Please do … you mean the day the ruling elite got a taste of the its medicine ie promoting BLM riots though out the summer of 2020. Not a single person involved in the so called “insurrection” has been charged with anything more than trespassing. People like Dremel will stay silent when groups like Code Pink will do almost the same thing during the Kavanaugh hearings. The Left is accountable to no one, think I am wrong? how many communists were charged with killings of hundred millions of people in the 20th century. ?
Its time for a national divorce, people like me and Dremel will never get along. People like Dremel hate the moral law but love sodomy. There is no unity and no hope, national divorce is only or it will get very ugly in the very near future .
This is America. There is no ruling elite (at least idealistically.) It is We…the People who rule this country. There are huge disagreements, most, I believe, fostered by ratings-driven media outlets.
We will work it out. Violence is never acceptable.
I wish we had elected smarter people but it is what it is for a couple of years. Then it changes. Every 2, 4, 6 years, people have another chance to elect better people.
We are at a low point (and it could get lower) but look to getting some viable candidates. Moral candidates. Upright candidates.
People will try to discourage you but don’t listen. Pray for leaders who are of the Lord.
“This is America. There is no ruling elite ” Bah ha ha ha haha ha ha ha ha
“There are huge disagreements, most, I believe, fostered by ratings-driven media outlets.” Wrong, the divisions are caused because one side accepts Objective Truth and the other rejects it
“We will work it out.” No we will not; if you cannot agree on what is true, then things will never be worked out
My hope is Christ.
i get it: white man bad!
i didn’t realize, apparently
italian white man – extra bad!
First of all we do not even know yet if any real indigenous people did this. Secondly, American history is far more complicated than American white settlers against the native population. One native tribe would often ask white settlers to help save them from another native tribe who wanted to wipe them out. Before whites came to this country, there were peaceful tribes and those who were warlike and far more uncivilized tribes with horrific practices. The “Catalyst” magazine, put out by the Catholic league, has a great article called “Battle of the Textbooks” by Mike McDonald which explains all this.
Regarding my last post there was a better article about what the more warlike native tribes did to other native tribes and white settlers than the one I posted, but I cannot find it now and am not sure it was in the “Catalyst”, but there are some excellent articles in the “Catalyst”, including “Do White Christians Deserve Reparations?”, regarding past enslavement of Christians by Muslims.
The Catholic Church, in the persons of St. John Paul II and the current Pope Francis has acknowledged and begged forgiveness for crimes against Native Peoples.
“Let us say n oto forms of colonialism old and new. Let us say yes to the encounter between peoples and cultures. Blessed are the peacemakers.
Here I wish to bring up an important issue.
Some may rightly say, “When the Pope speaks of colonialism, he overlooks certain actions of the Church”.
I say this to you with regret: many grave sins were committed against the native peoples of America in the name of God. My predecessors acknowledged this, CELAM has said it, and I too wish to say it. Like Saint John Paul II, I ask that the Church “kneel before God and implore forgiveness for the past and present sins of her sons and daughters”.
I would also say, and here I wish to be quite clear, as was Saint John Paul II: I humbly ask forgiveness, not only for the offenses of the Church herself, but
also for crimes committed against the native peoples during the so-called conquest of America.
I also ask everyone, believers and nonbelievers alike, to think of those many bishops, priests and laity who preached and continue to preach the Good News of Jesus with courage and meekness, respectfully and pacifically; who left behind them impressive works of human promotion and of love, often standing alongside the native peoples or accompanying their popular movements even to the point of martyrdom.” Pope Francis at World Meeting of Popular Movements
In the name of all indigenous peoples,
I graciously accept the apology(ies)
of the Catholic Church.
Now:
Can we all just shut up?
OK Tonto, what is needed is apologies for all the damages done to Catholic Churches by the vandalism of indigenous peoples, and also repayment, and finally a statement that there will be no more of these criminal evils.
When those actions are completed, and there are no more vandalizations, we will graciously accept your apology,
and of course, then all of us will then be silent. Until then, NO!
Ugh !