Ideas

NAHARIYA, Israel — Worshippers arrived Sunday evening, the feast of All Saints, to find the Saints Peter and Paul prayer hall in Nahariya wrecked. Statues were smashed and icons slashed, including one of Christ on the cross. The hall serves about 1,200 Lebanese Maronite Catholics, mostly former South Lebanon Army members and their families who settled in Israel after 2000. The Times of Israel reported that the intruder left an English-language note on the altar asking for forgiveness. The Maronite Archeparchy of Haifa called the act a grave attack on the right to worship and urged authorities to identify the culprits and guard the site. It said the community will keep praying there. A community spokesman said it is too early to say whether religious hatred was the motive. Police have opened an investigation. The Melkite Catholic archeparchy also condemned the attack, and an Israeli Foreign Ministry envoy called it disgraceful.

ARMAGH, Northern Ireland — The Police Service of Northern Ireland is investigating a report of assault on a member of the clergy. It follows an encounter on Thursday in the grounds of St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, between Enoch Burke and Church of Ireland Archbishop John McDowell. Burke's family posted a video that appears to show him gripping the archbishop's sleeve and blocking his way after a funeral. He accuses the archbishop of staying silent during his long legal fight. That fight began when he was dismissed from Wilson's Hospital School in Westmeath after objecting to a request to use a student's new name and pronoun. Burke denies assaulting the archbishop. The Church of Ireland called the confrontation hostile and aggressive, and said it will help police but will not comment further until the inquiry ends. Separately, the Irish High Court this week ordered Burke to pay a further €30,000 in fines, taking his total to more than €238,000.