Rally Planned After Pro-Life Display Ruined At Buckingham Church

BUCKINGHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — A Buckingham Township Roman Catholic church said it has been the target of multiple hate crimes in the past two weeks, including vandalism of a pro-life display.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, located at Rt. 413 and Cold Spring Creamery Road, will hold a Rosary Rally Saturday in response to the vandalism. The rally is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19 at noon.

Reverend Monsignor Joseph P. Gentili, the Pastor of the church, outlined the situation in an Oct. 14 letter to the church community.

He said two weeks ago, the church's Rite of Christian Initiation sign was torn down.

Then, on Oct. 12, 40 of the 61 crosses the church put up as a pro-life display were taken out of the ground and stacked into piles. In addition, two signs reading, “Stop surgical abortions,” were stolen, Gentili said in the letter.

The incidents have been reported to local police, Gentili noted.

This isn't the first time the church has been the target of vandalism. Last October, someone spray painted the word "pedophiles" on a sign at the church. Buckingham Township police investigated that incident.

"The members of the police department have been most supportive and concerned about these serious, deliberate and intentional acts of vandalism. It is being filed, like the last one you may recall, as a hate crime, in addition to trespassing and destruction of property," Gentili said.