A Catholic church in Kansas suffered a horrific satanic attack, leading President Trump to promise an investigation amid growing concerns that religious communities are being unfairly targeted while federal agencies remain unresponsive.
Key Takeaways
- St. Patrick Catholic Church in Wichita was vandalized with satanic imagery, including a beheaded statue and burned American flag, prompting federal hate crime investigations.
- 23-year-old Michael Angel Gonzalez was arrested and faces multiple charges including burglary, criminal desecration, and property damage.
- President Trump has promised to investigate the attack amid allegations that the Biden administration has been unresponsive to concerns about targeting religious communities.
- CatholicVote and Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against the FBI and DOJ in April 2023 after multiple unanswered FOIA requests regarding potential targeting of Catholics.
- The Kansas Catholic Conference has noted a disturbing national trend of increasing violence against Catholic churches since 2020.
Satanic Attack Devastates Kansas Church
St. Patrick Catholic Church in Wichita, Kansas was severely vandalized in an attack authorities are investigating as a hate crime. The perpetrator beheaded a statue of St. Patrick, broke candles and windows, burned an American flag, and scrawled a satanic website on the church’s wall. The extensive damage prevented the congregation from holding regular services, though they still proceeded with a planned St. Patrick’s Day parade the following day, showing resilience in the face of desecration.
“This is the face of evil,” stated the Catholic Conference of Kansas. “This is the hate crime scene at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Wichita. After forcing their way inside, statues were destroyed, glass smashed and other extensive damage exacted upon this sacred space.”
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan condemned the attack as “disgusting” and emphasized that places of worship deserve respect regardless of denomination. Law enforcement quickly identified and arrested 23-year-old Michael Angel Gonzalez in connection with the vandalism. He now faces charges of burglary, criminal desecration, and criminal damage to property as the case advances to the Sedgwick County district attorney and federal prosecutors for formal charging decisions.
Trump Promises Investigation Amid Religious Freedom Concerns
The attack in Kansas has resonated at the national level, with President Trump promising to investigate the incident. This commitment comes amid growing concerns from Catholic advocacy groups about what they perceive as the previous administration’s failure to address potential targeting of religious communities by federal agencies. The Kansas Catholic Conference has noted a troubling national trend of increasing violence against Catholic churches since 2020, raising alarms about religious freedom and safety.
CatholicVote previously made multiple appeals to the Biden administration to address concerns about government agencies potentially being weaponized against political opponents, particularly religious communities. Despite sending repeated letters to both the FBI and Department of Justice and filing Freedom of Information Act requests, the organization reported receiving no substantive response, fueling frustrations about government transparency and accountability in matters of religious liberty.
https://t.co/ugkmKJkvRp pic.twitter.com/gWS5Vz79MF
— The Church Militant (@JohnAndrewDors3) March 22, 2025
Legal Action Seeks Government Transparency
Frustrated by the lack of response from federal agencies, CatholicVote joined forces with Judicial Watch in April 2023 to file a lawsuit against the FBI and DOJ. The legal action seeks to compel the release of records related to the alleged targeting of Catholics and to force greater transparency from government agencies. The lawsuit represents an escalation in efforts to determine whether federal authorities have improperly surveilled or targeted religious groups based on their faith or political associations.
The incident in Wichita has become a focal point in broader conversations about religious rights and government accountability. Local authorities, including the Wichita Police Department, are collaborating with federal law enforcement for a comprehensive investigation of the church attack. Meanwhile, the congregation continues to recover from both the physical damage to their space and the impact of such a targeted act of desecration against their community and faith.
