A series of arson and vandalism attacks have been sustained by Catholic Churches and their property across the United States over the last week. The Ancient Order of the Hibernians, the United States’ oldest Irish association, has questioned the “deafening media silence” over the attacks and asked whether the media “has double standards of newsworthiness when intolerance targets Catholics.”

The latest incident was a fire that destroyed the roof of the San Gabriel Mission in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The Mission was being renovated as part of its 250-year anniversary celebrations.

In a statement the Order said the absence of national reporting was at stark variance with past coverage of similar attacks against other faiths.

“This absence of coverage is particularly glaring given that this attack is only the latest in a wave of wanton destruction targeting Catholics including the vandalism of a Catholic church in Boston, a Catholic school in New York and the ongoing investigation of a fire that destroyed the historic 249-year-old San Gabriel Mission and over the same weekend”.

“The Hibernians ask why such an outrageous attack targeting Catholics is less worthy of reporting than an attack on a house of worship of another faith or a public institution? The News Media needs to take accountability for its apathy and blatant double standard and the creation of a shameful ‘hierarchy of outrage’ in which hate targeting Catholics is not ‘newsworthy’. “

They added “We would remind National News editors of the Latin legal maximum ‘qui tacet consentire videtu’ (silence implies consent); their silence on the rising tide of anti-Catholic violence is shameful.”