
CV NEWS FEED // The search is ongoing for a man who was caught on video making bomb threats at a Catholic Church in Texas on Friday.
The suspect entered St. Matthews Catholic Church in San Antonio holding a “tube like item with metal on either side,” and asked to speak with a priest.
According to local reports, when those present informed him there was no priest available, as the church was celebrating a funeral Mass, he responded, saying: “You’re telling me that even though I have a car full of explosives?”
Witnesses told police officers who responded to the scene that the man “was talking about the government being after him, and the pope knew about it.”
“The safety and well-being of all at St. Mathew’s is my top priority,” Fr. Eric J. Ritter, the pastor at St. Matthew wrote in a statement on Facebook shortly after the incident.
He continued:
The incident was reported immediately to law enforcement and no one was harmed. The matter is being addressed and appropriate action is being taken. Again, the safety and welfare of everyone here is of paramount importance. We are vigilant in keeping our facilities safe and secure through your continued cooperation and support.
The incident comes in the wake of a marked increase in attacks against the Catholic Church in recent years. As CatholicVote has reported, “Since civil unrest began on May 28, 2020, there have been at least 385 attacks against Catholic churches in the United States.”
This includes “acts of arson which damaged or destroyed historic churches; spray-painting and graffiti of satanic messages; rocks and bricks thrown through windows; statues destroyed (often with heads cut off); and illegal disruptions of Mass.”
The suspect faces charges of making terroristic threats and causing public fear if found by the police, and up to $5,000 is being offered for any tips that may lead to his arrest.
