St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Arizona was heavily damaged by fire early Friday, and officials have since labeled the incident “suspicious in nature.” The blaze comes as the state prepares to vote on Proposition 139, which would make abortion a fundamental right up until birth, eliminating many existing restrictions.
Father Ariel Luston, who oversees St. Anthony’s, received an urgent call about the fire and arrived to find significant damage to the sanctuary. The fire destroyed pews and the organ, shattered stained glass windows, and left the entire space with smoke damage. “We will rise from the ashes,” Luston said, expressing gratitude for the support from other local churches and the broader community.
The Casa Grande Fire Department, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), is conducting an investigation. Fire marshal Frank Ricci shared that his department considers the fire suspicious due to the church’s role as a community landmark and place of worship. He explained that they are approaching the case as a potential crime, pending results from the crime lab.
St. Anthony of Padua has been outspoken against Proposition 139, sharing messages urging parishioners to vote against the amendment. Arizona’s bishops have also warned that the amendment would override existing abortion regulations, eliminate parental consent for minors, and allow near-unrestricted abortion access statewide.
CatholicVote, a national Catholic advocacy organization, has tracked an uptick in violence against Catholic churches and pro-life centers across the country. In a statement, Tommy Valentine, the director of CatholicVote’s Catholic Accountability Project, remarked on the “strong correlation between pro-abortion violence and states where abortion is on the ballot.”
As Arizona’s election on Proposition 139 nears, many in the Catholic community are anxiously following the investigation, hoping for swift answers and a path to rebuild.
