Now they're targeting God -- who's standing up for Him?

Just in case people haven't noticed, probably because mainstream media ignore or downplay them, there's been a rash of attacks in this country on the symbols of the Catholic Church – buildings and scores of statues across the country. Statues of Father Junipero Serra, the Virgin Mary and other saints that were in public outside…

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Just in case people haven't noticed, probably because mainstream media ignore or downplay them, there's been a rash of attacks in this country on the symbols of the Catholic Church – buildings and scores of statues across the country.

Statues of Father Junipero Serra, the Virgin Mary and other saints that were in public outside of churches and schools and in parks were defaced with paint and graffiti, beheaded and often just cut down. Of course, with most of this, there is no way to discover who did it or why.

Just this weekend, in Florida, a man literally drove his truck into a church and then poured gasoline in the building – total destruction. It was fortunate no one was killed as parishioners were there readying the facility for a service. In this case, the perpetrator was captured and charged.

In California the same week, an early morning fire started on the roof of the 249-year-old San Gabriel Mission, one of the original Father Serra Missions. The flames spread, devastating the building, just as it was being renovated for an anniversary celebration.

Ironically, this happened just after it was announced that Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris will be rebuilt – itself, a victim of a roof fire that destroyed much of the building. Talk about timing. In both cases, no "cause" of the fire has been determined, but we can guess.

Personally, I don't think any of this is an "accident." There has been a rash of Catholic Church burnings across France – and I fear there are more to come in this country. Whether we're talking about destruction of a building or the deliberate damage or destruction of religious statues, what's hard to miss is the anger against the church but also the lack of vehement response by Catholic clergy. There have been only subdued comments by one bishop or another, but so far, not a word from the pope or anyone else in the Vatican.

Speaking as an American Catholic, I think there should be outrage at this insult to our religious freedom – but all we hear is … crickets.

Oh yes, there is some reaction. Archbishop Jose Gomez told San Gabriel parishioners that the fire represented an opportunity for a new start. He called it "time for a new beginning. "

Forgive me, but what a wimpy reaction. They just spent millions renovating the building, it is ruined by fire, which may well have been arson, and he says it's time for a "new beginning"!

I fear the idea of "forgiveness" is being taken to an extreme.

Father Junipero Serra led the missionaries who founded the San Gabriel Mission and nearly two dozen other missions in California – all of which lately have been the targets of vandals who attack the buildings and the religious statues on the properties. The supposed reasons for such vandalism are that the missionaries mistreated Native Americans.

As for the Vatican, there is scant reaction to any of this destruction. Some might consider the attacks on statues at churches or schools in the United States not that important, but
then there is the instance of the Hagia Sophia in Turkey.

Originally, it was a Christian Cathedral, which was taken over by Muslims in 1453, and it so remained until an international agreement returned it to Christians. It has remained so for centuries, until now.

Just last week, with no prior warning, the building was taken over by Turkey after an order by President Erdogan and instantly converted into an Islamic Mosque. Turkey just said they would take it back, and they did. While the act gained international news coverage, the reaction from the Catholic Church, and the Vatican in particular, was strangely subdued. When finally Pope Francis was asked about it, he said only, "I think of Hagia Sophia and I am very saddened."

Awwwwwww.

The pope may be sad, and I'm sad too, but I'm also angry, not only over the action by Turkey, but also by the lack of reaction from the Catholic Church. I believe with all my heart that Catholics, and all Christians, need a militant pope and militant clergy who will defend our faith and our history. They're not doing it, and that is worrisome.

If they don't do it, who will?

If they don't do it, we will lose everything – we will lose it all.

Anyone with a modicum of vision, can see we are in dangerous territory, and so far, the people who could do something about it are nowhere in sight.

Follow Barbara Simpson on Facebook.

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