A vandalism incident at Christ the King Catholic Church in Flint has left damage at the historically African-American parish, with the perpetrator still unidentified as of Wednesday afternoon.
Several windows were broken in the attack, which took place on Aug. 2 and also involved an attempt to set fire to the parish’s front doors. No one was injured in the incident.
“Say a prayer that we continue to be kept safe,” said parish administrator Fr Tom Firestone during Mass the next day. He was away in Ann Arbor when the attack occurred.
“Wouldn’t hurt to have a prayer in which you ask the Holy Spirit to kick whoever it was in the ass.”
The African American parish here in Flint was vandalized yesterday: smashed window and door set on fire. Motive unknown at the moment. Please pray for Christ the King parish and for the perpetrator.
— Sr. Dorcee, beloved (@SrDorcee) August 3, 2025
Founded by Fr Norman DuKette, the first Black priest to serve in the Diocese of Lansing, Christ the King has served the African-American community since 1929, when it was known as the Colored Catholic Mission of Flint. The parish worshiped in a converted government building before building a church in 1946 and—after urban renewal and the construction of a neighborhood-splitting freeway—the current edifice in the 1970s.
Saturday’s incident is only the latest act of vandalism at the church, with former incidents involving a homeless individual, according to Sr Dorcee Clarey, foundress of the Servants of God’s Love and a parishioner at Christ the King. She told BCM that the attacker caught on tape Saturday was a different individual, an African-American woman who has not yet been apprehended.
According to Clarey, police did not respond when contacted by Fr Firestone over the weekend, which is a common occurrence in the city. The Flint Police Department has recently reported an uptick in violent crime, at times overwhelming the understaffed police force.
“This is the state of the city of Flint,” Clarey wrote on social media.
Contacted by telephone, FPD Detective LaShabriane Kelly did not confirm Saturday's incident or provide any information, though BCM has learned that a police report was filed on Saturday.
“Motive unknown at the moment,” Sr Clarey added on Twitter/X. “Please pray for Christ the King parish and for the perpetrator.”
Fr Firestone suggested in his Sunday homily that the parish has insurance, which would likely be involved in any necessary repairs due to the vandalism. Interested parties can donate to Christ the King online on the church’s website.
Various government and independent agencies have reported an increase in violent attacks at places of worship in the United States since 2018, including hundreds at Catholic churches.
Several incidents have involved Black Catholic parishes or artwork since last fall, including at St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church in Brooklyn in October and at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis in March. The former Martyrs of Uganda Parish in Detroit was badly damaged by a fire in June.
Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.
