The remains St. Colman Catholic Church in Shady Spring, West Virginia, on June 26, 2022. (Courtesy Beaver Volunteer Fire Department)
Amid a series of attacks and threats against churches, faith-based organizations and crisis pregnancy centers that is under FBI investigation, a historic Catholic church burned to the ground Sunday.
Authorities are probing as arson the destruction of St. Colman Catholic Church in Shady Spring, West Virginia, the Catholic News Agency reported.
Built in 1878, St. Colman Catholic Church was a small, white building known as "The Little Catholic Church on Irish Mountain." It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Earlier this month, the FBI asked the public to assist the bureau's investigation of "a series of attacks and threats targeting pregnancy resource centers and faith-based organizations across the country."
Leads can be submitted through the FBI's electronic tip form.
"The FBI takes all threats seriously and we continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners and will remain vigilant to protect our communities," the bureau said in a statement.
The faith-based organizations include Catholic churches, the bureau confirmed to CNA.
The Washington Times was first to report the FBI investigation, June 17, as the Supreme Court prepared to decide the Mississippi abortion case. On Friday, the court published the majority opinion, which ruled the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion.
Prior to the ruling in Dobbs v. Mississippi, a Catholic civil rights group and Republican lawmakers from both the House and Senate sent letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland to deploy the "full resources of the Department of Justice to apprehend and prosecute domestic terrorists who have recently attacked Catholic individuals, vandalized Catholic churches and torched Catholic-operated crisis pregnancy centers."
The ad hoc group Jane's Revenge has taken responsibility for attacks on crisis pregnancy centers. It's now "open season" on "anti-choice" groups, Jane's Revenge has said, vowing to "never stop, back down, slow down, or retreat."
Jane's Revenge calls for a "Night of Rage" after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Activists are called to "hit the streets" in fulfillment of their promise that they would "riot." The group warns: "To our oppressors: If abortions aren't safe, you're not either."
The Department of Homeland Security's National Terrorism Advisory issued a statement June 7 saying the nation "remains in a heightened threat environment" and "faith-based institutions" are among the targets.
On June 15, more than 120 members of Congress wrote to Garland about Jane's Revenge. The letter listed 14 attacks since the leak of the majority opinion in the Mississippi abortion case, which showed the court was prepared to overturn Roe.
One week earlier, 16 senators wrote Garland asking what the Justice Department was doing about the attacks.
Content created by the WND News Center is available for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@wndnewscenter.org.
SUPPORT TRUTHFUL JOURNALISM. MAKE A DONATION TO THE NONPROFIT WND NEWS CENTER. THANK YOU!
The post Police suspect arsonist destroyed historic Catholic church building appeared first on WND.
