Global Church Crime News 06/04/2023

(June 2) Spain’s Catholic Bishops Find Evidence Of 728 Sexual Abusers, 927 Victims Since 1945 | SPAIN

Spain’s Roman Catholic bishops’ conference says it has found evidence of 728 sexual abusers within the church since 1945, through the testimony of 927 victims, in its first public report on the issue.
The church said that 83% of the victims and 99% of the abusers were male and that more than 60% of the offenders were dead.

In a report presented Thursday, more than 50% of offenders were said to be priests. The rest were other church officials.

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(June 2) LGBT+ Flags Vandalised For A Fourth Time At Canada Church On Eve Of Pride Month | CANADA

LGBT+ pride flags at a church in British Columbia, Canada were defaced for the fourth time on Wednesday 31 May, one day before Pride month.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Ladner United Church said: “Early Wednesday morning, one day before Pride Month begins, Ladner United Church was once again vandalised.

“Black paint was thrown at the building where our two Pride flags are displayed – the front door and the window of the minister’s office,” the statement read.

Wednesday’s act of vandalism marks the fourth time Pride flags at the church have been destroyed, including previous instances when they were spray-painted over and slashed.

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(June 1) Armed Mob Dressed As Sikh Warriors Attacks Church | INDIA

A group of Christians was attacked on 21 May in Rajewal village, near Amritsar in Punjab province, India, by assailants dressed in traditional Sikh warrior dress. The Christians had gathered in a church when it was attacked by a group dressed in Nihang attire. The Nihangs or Akalis are an armed Sikh warrior group distinguishable by their blue robes, swords and spears.

According to sources, the mob forcefully entered Sukhpal Rana Ministries Church, vandalising it with sticks. They also tore the Bibles, vandalised the vehicles outside the church and attacked the Christians with sticks, leaving several injured. This was followed by a verbal confrontation between the Christians and the attackers which soon escalated, with both groups pelting stones at each other. The situation was brought under control by the intervention of the police.

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(June 1) Pastor, Wife Among 43 Christians Killed In Central Nigeria 

Fulani herdsmen killed a church pastor, his wife and 41 other people in an attack last month on two predominantly Christian villages in Nasarawa state, Nigeria, sources said.

The Rev. Daniel Danbeki of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Takalafiya village, Karu County, and his wife were killed along with villagers who were sleeping in their homes the night of May 11 in the attack that lasted until the early hours of May 12, survivors said.

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(May) Preacher Suspected Of Stealing Over Ksh.2M Meant For Church Seats Arrested | KENYA

A prominent church pastor from Mwea Subcounty has been apprehended by the police after allegedly scamming the church out of two million shillings. The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) pastor, Gilbert Kariuki, is said to have gone missing after receiving the cash meant for church seats.

According to reports received from the DCI department in Mwea, the preacher, Gilbert Kariuki, was awarded a contract to deliver four hundred and ten seats to the ACK church one month ago. The two million-dollar cash tender meant for church improvement was paid directly to the preacher's bank account, after which the clergyman disappeared into thin air. All attempts to trace him failed, leading to the posting of a criminal report against him at Mwea Police Station.

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