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Catholic church defaced with anti-Arab graffiti

By Jim Lynch
Detroit News
Posted on Friday April 6, 2007

WARREN—At a time when nearly 200 families of St. Mary’s—Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East were preparing to celebrate the move into a new facility, church leaders and members are dealing with issues of hate and, perhaps, mistaken identity.

Vandals defaced the outside of the congregation’s new church, at 4320 14 Mile, by spraying anti-Arab threats onto the building. The church is scheduled to host its first Mass May 6 after nearly 20 years at its location on Toepfer Road.

Construction crews discovered the vandalism Monday morning.

Among the messages left in blue and black paint were “1 God Jesus” and “Arabs Die.” Most were left at the rear of the building.

“It’s not so much anger I feel but more a sense of disappointment,” said Ashurina Mirza, a 21-year-old member of the congregation whose father helped build the original church two decades ago.

“To know that the people in our church poured their hearts and souls into something and see someone try to destroy it it’s disappointing.”

The religious undertones of the messages left on the church suggested perpetrators who are anti-Muslim. But church members, as the name suggests, are Catholics.

And the number of crosses adorning the building, including a giant wooden cross over the western entrance, would seem to make it clear St. Mary’s is a Christian church.

Inside the church’s entryway are writings that may appear Arabic, but they are actually Aramaic.

The Michigan Department of Civil Rights is looking into the incident and plan to offer assistance to church members and the community at large.

“These kinds of things are generally not based on people airing legitimate concerns,” said Harold Core, a department spokesman.

Warren Mayor Mark Steenbergh issued a statement Tuesday: “This kind of vandalism sickens me. People of all religions have the right to worship without having to put up with this kind of hatred. ”

Warren Police Chief Jere Green said he will increase patrols around places of worship in the area. Anyone with information regarding the vandalism should call police at (586) 574-4776.