The News You May Have Missed: May 2025

The Face of Evil

Authorities in Kansas are investigating a possible hate crime after St. Patrick Church in Wichita suffered “extensive vandalism,” including the beheading of a statue of St. Patrick, the breaking of candles and windows, the burning of an American flag, and the scrawling of the name of a Satanic website on a wall. The Catholic Conference of Kansas responded to the incident by saying “this is the face of evil” and noting that the website belongs to a group that was planning a Satanic ritual at the state capitol. Wichita police arrested Michael Angel Gonzalez, 23, in connection with the case. Despite the attack, parishioners, who are predominantly Hispanic, held a St. Patrick’s Day parade. “Their resilience was evident, especially after the heartbreaking burglary and vandalism that occurred yesterday,” said Police Chief Joe Sullivan, who attended the parade. Gonzalez faces charges of burglary, criminal desecration, and criminal damage to property (Fox News, March 17).

Terror in the Pews

Spain’s Observatory for Religious Freedom and Conscience called on the Ministry of the Interior to strengthen security at Catholic cathedrals after the Islamic terrorist group ISIS threatened the country’s sacred structures (Catholic News Agency, Feb. 26). A poster with images of a knife-wielding jihadist and a Spanish cathedral with the tagline “Let’s slaughter” was disseminated online, accompanied by an incitement to “make the next news yourself and show your anger at what is happening to Muslims. Follow in the footsteps of your brothers who preceded you and sowed fear in the hearts of unbelievers.” The observatory, which advises the Spanish government’s Monitoring Commission for the Action Plan to Combat Hate Crimes, recalled that on New Year’s Eve “two jihadist minors planned to attack the basilica in Elche,” and in January threats were made against the Palencia cathedral. “The safety of believers is in danger,” said María García, president of the observatory. “We cannot ignore the threats of [ISIS]. We know what they are capable of, and we are seeing it these days in Europe.”

Martyred in Myanmar

Two women who witnessed the murder of Fr. Donald Martin Ye Naing Win in Myanmar recounted how the priest “fearlessly confronted” the armed men who took his life. The women, parish workers at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in the village of Kangyi Taw, said ten militiamen “clearly intoxicated or under the influence of drugs” confronted Fr. Ye Naing Win and ordered him to kneel. “I only kneel before God,” the priest calmly replied. He then asked them, “What can I do for you? Is there something we can talk about?” One of the men struck Ye Naing Win from behind, and the leader stabbed him “repeatedly and brutally in his body and in the throat.” The priest “did not utter a word or a moan. He suffered the senseless violence without reacting, like an innocent man.” The women’s testimony was sent to Myanmar’s National Unity Government in exile, which pledged to “punish the perpetrators of the murder according to the law.” The People’s Defense Forces of Shwebo announced the arrest of ten suspects, who belong to “a local defense group” (ACI Prensa, Feb. 25).