Two individuals have been arrested in connection with separate incidents of vandalism at Catholic churches in the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York. The first incident occurred at Resurrection Church in Brooklyn, where a white marble statue of the Blessed Mother was spray-painted with black graffiti on her face, shoulders, and hands. The word fake and an upside-down cross were also written on the statue.
Jonathan Bulik, a 37-year-old resident of Brooklyn, was charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime in connection with the attack. Two parishioners witnessed Bulik spray-painting the statue and intervened to stop him in the act.
In another incident at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Astoria, the same individual involved in the previous vandalism was arrested. Jaime Bonilla, a 22-year-old from Queens, had allegedly desecrated the church in early June. This time, Bonilla entered the church and began behaving erratically, disturbing a youth choir practice and frightening the children. The police were called, and Bonilla was arrested and charged with criminal mischief in connection with the previous vandalism incident.
During the initial vandalism incident in June, Bonilla destroyed framed photos of Pope Francis and Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan. He also spread paint thinner on the basement floor and dressed up in priestly vestments. When discovered by one of the priests, Bonilla was violently hitting himself in the head with a monstrance, a golden vessel used to display the Eucharistic host. He then proceeded to the main sanctuary, opened the tabernacle, and threw consecrated Eucharistic hosts onto the floor. Bonilla was detained by the police but was released for evaluation at Elmhurst Hospital.
The Diocese of Brooklyn expressed gratitude for the parishioners and staff who intervened and held the perpetrators until the police arrived. These incidents come amid a recent surge in attacks on Catholic churches across the United States. In June, a 44-year-old woman was arrested for spray-painting derogatory words and an upside-down cross on a church wall in Miami, Florida. Additionally, a 41-year-old woman was charged in May for causing substantial damage in an arson attack at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines, Illinois.
The incidents highlight the importance of protecting religious sites and ensuring the safety of worshippers. The Diocese of Brooklyn has vowed to continue taking necessary measures to safeguard its churches and foster a peaceful environment for its communities. Law enforcement agencies are also working diligently to investigate and bring those responsible for these acts of vandalism to justice.
