A 32-year-old man faces charges after an explosive was set off on the altar of a Pennsylvania Catholic church.
Kyle Kuczynski, 32, of Mahanoy City was arrested in connection with the Tuesday incident, the Mahanoy City Police Department posted on Facebook.
The post said an explosive device was ignited at a chapel in St. Teresa of Calcutta Rectory.
NEW: Catholics in a small town in Pennsylvania saw a very different kind of white smoke on Tuesday after a man detonated an explosive in a Catholic church.
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) May 8, 2025
32-year-old Kyle Kuczynski was caught on surveillance footage lighting dynamite on the altar of the adoration chapel of St.… pic.twitter.com/odJy90Dlrk
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“Belief in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist is central to the Catholic Faith. To use an explosive device to destroy the Blessed Sacrament is an act of darkest evil,” Alfred Schlert, Bishop of Allentown, said in a statement on his website.
“I am heartbroken that such a heinous, hateful, and evil act occurred at St. Teresa of Calcutta. This act of religious hate is an affront to the long and devout history of faith among the people of Mahanoy City.
“While offering forgiveness, I pray the person who perpetrated this crime will receive the help needed and the justice demanded for their actions,” he concluded.
A Schuylkill County judge has denied bail for Kuczynski, according to WNEP-TV.
/**/Police said the blast resulted in no injuries but caused thousands of dollars worth of damage.
The explosive left a large hole near one corner of the altar and several holes in stained glass windows, as well as damage to the ceiling of the chapel.
The incident was caught on security cameras.
“We examined the camera and discovered that it was an adult,” Father Kevin Gallagher of St. Teresa Calcutta Church said. “He went in and set an explosive device on the altar, and then lit it and ran off.”
Police do not know why the church was targeted.
According to Gallagher, security video from the night before the incident showed a man appearing to scope out the chapel.
“You feel violated, but the most important thing is that no one was hurt, and that’s the most thing because there is a lot of elderly people that come during the night, and they spend a lot of time in the adoration chapel, and you know, you worry about their safety and stuff,” Gallagher said.
“We have so many parishioners that are they’re in awe over this. They were crying to me this morning on the phone, and it’s just devastating,” said Diane Britton, the church’s secretary.
Kuczynski faces charges of arson, risking catastrophe, and vandalizing a house of worship.
This article originally appeared on The Western Journal, and is reposted with permission.
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