ATF urges churches to adopt ‘enhanced security measures’ amid arson incidents

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at St. Mary’s Parish in Franklin, Massachusetts, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. / Credit: Franklin Fire Department

CNA Staff, Nov 16, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is recommending that houses of worship exercise “increased vigilance” and adopt new security measures amid a series of recent arson incidents against churches.

The ATF said it “urges all religious institutions to take enhanced security measures to protect their congregations and facilities” after several acts of arson directed against churches in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

In a Nov. 8 statement, the bureau said there were “no specific threats” against churches but that authorities “recommend vigilance and proactive steps to prevent potential incidents.”

The federal agency cited several fire incidents at churches in New England in recent months, including a fire at a Catholic parish in Franklin, Massachusetts.

Investigators deemed an October fire at St. Mary Church in Franklin as an act of arson. The church in the Archdiocese of Boston was temporarily shuttered after the fire; the parish has been holding Mass in its chapel while raising funds to restore the main worship space. 

The ATF in its statement suggested churches should employ several methods of enhanced security, including video cameras, restricted facility access, and updated emergency plans. 

The bureau also said houses of worship should “maintain open communication with local police and ATF, report any suspicious activity immediately, and explore options for regular patrols in the area.”

The ATF is committed to “providing support to religious institutions to enhance their security,” the agency said. 

Catholic churches take hits

Several other Catholic churches in the U.S. have recently suffered fires. An early-morning fire on Oct. 18 severely damaged St. Anthony of Padua Church in Casa Grande, Arizona.

A Catholic church in Florida, meanwhile, has suffered multiple fires in just 16 months, with the most recent fire currently being investigated as arson.

Beyond fires, Catholic churches throughout the U.S. have seen repeated acts of vandalism in recent months and years. 

A parish in Arkansas was struck by three vandalism incidents in recent months, including the destruction of a statue of Mary on the parish grounds. 

St. Francis de Sales Parish in Sherman Oaks, California, meanwhile, was attacked multiple times over the summer, including graffiti and arson attacks on four occasions, beginning in August and continuing through September.

In March, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio called on the government to protect Catholic churches from attacks, citing a tracker that found more than 400 attacks against Catholic churches since May 2020.