All cases

Teacher Flunks High School Student for Saying that Homosexuality is an “Abnormal Orientation"

September 1, 2012, Sweden

During a biology class a Swedish high school student spoke up and called homosexuality an “abnormal sexual orientation”. As a result of this comment the teacher flunked the student. The reasoning of the teacher is that it is the task of the educational system to teach pupils respect for all sexual orientations. The opposing view of the student doesn’t correspond to the curriculum’s goal.

Churches in Occupied Cyprus Plundered

September 1, 2012, Cyprus

Numerous churches in the Turkish occupied area of Cyprus were profaned and turned into storage rooms, museums and mosques.

Local Council in Broue Orders Removal of Cross at Cemetery

August 30, 2012, France

The City of Broue ordered the removal of a cross at the entrance to the city cemetery at the instigation of a counsellor, saying that "the cemetery is a public building; there should be no religious symbols." This was done "in the name of tolerance."

Ad For Mountain Tourism Conceals Summit Cross

August 30, 2012, Germany

Due to increased tourism from Middle Eastern countries, the management of the Zugspitze Railway in Bavaria produced an advertisement leaflet of the mountain “Zugspitze” without an image of the summit cross. Churches protested.

Boys Life Support Unit Switched Off Against The Wish of Christian Parents

August 29, 2012, United Kingdom

The Judge of London’s Royal Court of Justice ruled on August 10th that the life support system of an 8-year- old boy may be switched off by team of doctors, ignoring parents’ wish to keep him alive.

Desecrations of Cross and Chapel in the Bretagne

August 26, 2012, France

In the night of August 22nd to 23rd, a desecration took place in the garden of the Abbey of Saint-Jacut-sur-Mer (Bretagne): a cross has been stolen. On the night of August 25th to 26th, the chapel of Locmaria Carnac was desecrated and the number 6 had been tagged on the walls.

Burglaries in Churches and Parish Buildings

August 24, 2012, Germany

The parish building in Klotten and Pommern and the sacristy of the church in Bremm were broken into by burglars looking for money.

Vandalism in Naklo

August 22, 2012, Slovenia

On 22nd August 2012 unknown perpetrators desecrated a chapel of Saint Anthony in Naklo, Slovenia. They wrote the word "Satan" on the floor and words like "You worship the wrong God" on one of the frescos with a black grafitti. On another fresco they drew a cross turned upside down.

Jewels of Image of Mary Stolen at Sanctuary in Rijeka

August 21, 2012, Croatia

On August 21, 2012, the Holy See National Contact Point of the Apostolic Nunciature in Croatia reported that in the sanctuary of the Madonna of Trsat, Rijeka, golden jewels of the image of Mary, the mother of Jesus were stolen.

Burglars in Church Sacristy in Treis

August 20, 2012, Germany

An unidentified perpetrator broke into the sacristy of a Church in Treis and attempted to steal money. The police did not release the amount of the damage.