Priest stabbed in the face during Mass as religion-based hate crime is on the rise worldwide

Attacks against priests look to beryllium connected the rise astir the globe pursuing the latest battle successful which a clergyman successful Singapore was stabbed successful the look during a Mass connected Saturday Nov. 9., marking astatine slightest the 3rd onslaught of its benignant this month.

Father Christopher Lee – parish clergyman of St. Joseph religion successful the west-central Singapore portion of Bukit Timah – was attacked by Basnayake Keith Spencer with a weapon portion helium was distributing Holy Communion, reported Catholic media outlet OSV News connected Friday.

Spencer has reportedly been charged with the "offense of voluntarily causing grievous wounded by a unsafe weapon" and remanded by a tribunal successful Singapore for 3 weeks.

Priests be a wide beatification of Antonio Gonzalez Alonso, Isidoro Fernandez Cordero, Genaro Fueyo Castanon y Segundo Alonso Gonzalez, known arsenic the martyrs of Nembra, who were killed during the Spanish Civil War, astatine Oviedo's Cathedral successful Spain connected Oct. 8, 2016. (REUTERS/Eloy Alonso)

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Lee was reported to person sustained a "laceration connected his tongue," on with a chopped connected his precocious articulator and connected the country of his mouth. He is said to beryllium recovering from his injuries. 

The Father successful Singapore was not the lone clergyman to person been assaulted past Saturday, arsenic a monastery successful Spain’s Valencia portion was besides attacked by a middle-aged antheral who yelled retired "I americium Jesus Christ" during his ambush earlier helium was subdued.

Three friars astatine the Monastery of Santo Espíritu del Monte successful Gilet, Spain were injured successful the attack aft the unidentified antheral "wielding a blunt object, burst into the premises with a convulsive and provocative attitude," according to a connection by the Immaculate Conception of the Franciscan Order, the assemblage to which the monastery belongs, reported aggregate reports.

Father Juan Antonio Llorente, 76 – 1 of 3 friars attacked successful the incidental – died 2 days aboriginal successful a infirmary aft succumbing to his injuries connected Monday. 

Nov. 9 was marred by 1 different onslaught connected a clergyman successful Poland, wherever Father Lech Lachowicz, 72, died owed to extended encephalon harm pursuing an onslaught one-week prior.

An axe-wielding 27-year-old – whose individuality remains unclear – attacked Lachowicz connected Nov. 3 successful his rectory during an alleged robbery effort successful a Szczytno parish successful northeastern Poland.

The assailant has been taken into custody.

The bid of attacks crossed the globe came astir 1 period aft a clergyman was brutally attacked wrong his Philadelphia location located crossed the thoroughfare from St. Maron's Maronite Catholic Church, though helium is reported to beryllium recovering. 

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Hate crimes against not lone Catholics, but Jews, Muslims and others, are increasing crossed the globe, peculiarly successful Europe and the U.S.

Sanctuary of a tiny religion with pews and pulpit. (iStock)

A report released Friday by the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) successful Europe recovered that crossed 48 nations successful Europe, determination were implicit 4,480 incidents of hatred crimes committed against Jews, much than 580 incidents targeting Christians and astir 240 reported incidents against Muslims.

While anti-Christian and anti-Muslim incidents dropped from 2022 OSCE records, crimes against Jews grew by much than 20% from the erstwhile year.

In the U.S., 2023 attacks against Catholics came successful 4th down targeted attacks against Sikhs, Muslims and Jews respectively – an expanding inclination successful caller years, though the assaults person skyrocketed pursuing the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas onslaught connected Israel and the consequent warfare that has ensued successful the Gaza Strip, which has since extended into Lebanon, and increasingly, Syria, Iraq and Iran. 

The FBI reported successful September that determination was a 3% decrease successful wide hatred crimes committed successful the U.S. betwixt 2023 and 2022, but according to its figures, determination was besides a 20% summation successful the fig of religiously motivated hatred crimes committed implicit the past year.

More than 2,500 incidents of religion-based hatred crimes were reported successful the U.S. successful 2023, a leap from the astir 2,050 incidents reported the twelvemonth prior. 

While much than fractional of the religion-based hatred crimes successful 2022 were driven by anti-Jewish bias, that percent jumped successful 2023 to relationship for immoderate 67% of each spiritual hatred crimes successful the U.S.

Anti-Muslim hatred crimes came successful 2nd with 236 attacks past year, which accounted for little than 9 percent of each religion-based hatred crimes that year, according to the FBI. 

An equipped backstage information defender watches the beforehand doors to the Adas Torah synagogue connected Monday, June 24, 2024 successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

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Attacks against Sikhs accounted for 5%, and attacks against Catholics accounted for astir 3%. 

All attacks against Christians, arsenic defined by Catholic, Protestant and "other Christians," made up over 6% of spiritual hatred crimes, accounting for 176 incidents reported successful 2023.

The BBC successful October reported a akin inclination successful Britain and Wales wherever determination was a 5% alteration successful wide hatred crimes but a 25% summation successful religion-based hatred crimes.

Crimes against Jews much than doubled successful 2023 wherever much than 3,280 incidents were reported, up from conscionable implicit 1,540 incidents successful 2022. Attacks against Muslims besides grew by 13% successful Britain and Wales.