Area churches looking at security in wake of Texas shootings
Rick Shrum/Observer-Reporter
Parishioners enter Immaculate Conception Church in Washington for Sunday Mass.
Rick Shrum/Observer-Reporter
Parishioners, including Abby Bunch of South Franklin Township and her daughters, Ireland and Lennox, foreground, walk up the steps to Sunday Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in Washington.
These have been turbulent times, and Hickory United Presbyterian Church has responded accordingly.
“We have full surveillance cameras set up outside and in, and they’re state of the art,” said the Rev. Christopher Mathewson, pastor of the church along Routes 18 and 50 in Mt. Pleasant Township. The cameras were installed “about a year ago” at the recommendation of a task force on security the church organized several years back.
He said there have been “no issues” at Hickory United Presbyterian that prompted the surveillance, that its deployment is precautionary – a necessary evil to combat the potential of evil.
Evil dealt another devastating blow Nov. 5, when a man wearing black and bearing a military-style rifle killed 25 people and an unborn child and wounded 20 others at a Texas church. The gunman was identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, who shot himself to death shortly after the rampage at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio.
Religion is an institution based largely on trust, making it a vulnerable institution, as well. That’s why religious leaders nationwide are examining, revising and stepping up security measures in the aftermath of this tragedy. Mathewson’s house of worship appears to be among those ahead of the curve in Washington and Greene counties.
“We are a congregation where folks carry handguns on Sundays. A lot of folks celebrate the right to do so,” he said, estimating the number of that congregation to be 350, with around 220 attending weekly services.
“But,” he added, “we are fully aware of the delicate balance of respecting people’s rights and welcoming them with open arms while being secure. The No. 1 challenge of a church is to continue to be welcoming and have open arms in a world that’s ever-changing.”
Local religious leaders contacted for this article appreciate that sentiment. They indicate the levels of security vary in the two counties, largely from worship site to worship site, but all agree safety is a prominent concern.
“We’ve seen reports of church shootings in the past, but we’re looking at them a lot more closely after the Texas shooting,” admitted the Rev. Jeff Vanderhoff, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Peters Township.
He said, as far as he knew, there have been no violent incidents at the church. But that didn’t mean there was a sense of false security about security at Trinity United. Vanderhoff said Ken West, the church’s facilities manager, attended an active-shooter training session in the spring or summer, months before the Texas tragedy.
Vanderhoff said he and other Trinity United officials plan to discuss more stringent security measures, which may include surveillance cameras.
Worship sites with smaller congregations, like the one in Texas, may be more vulnerable. Many lack finances to ensure a safer environment. Our Lady of the Valley Roman Catholic Church is among them.
“You trust people who are coming here, people who want to be here. You don’t expect any poor souls to come in (and start shooting),” said the Rev. Pierre M. Falkenhan Jr., pastor of the Donora church.
He said Our Lady of the Valley can accommodate 450 for Mass, but there are usually no more than 110 in the pews.
“Unless someone notices something, almost anything can happen. You can call 911 and if someone opens up, there are three exits to run to.”
Falkenhan said one parishioner, a personal friend, approached him within the past year, asking whether he could bring his registered gun to services. The pastor politely, but firmly, told him no.
The Diocese of Pittsburgh oversees the operations of Roman Catholic parishes in Washington, Greene, Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties. The Rev. Nick Vaskov, executive director of communications for the diocese, said, “People should feel safe going to church.”
Vaskov said the level of security “is up to the (individual) parishes. The diocese can offer guidance and support through insurance.” He said more parishes are investing in cameras and alarm systems, largely to prevent theft, but a church’s level of security often depends on its location and finances.
Security is an issue at all public facilities, and has been for centuries. Worship locations, generally, have been considered safe havens, but incidents in recent years have changed that perception. Caution is now a higher priority.
“My colleagues and I talk to each other,” Vanderhoff said, referring to pastors at other regional churches. “(A crisis situation) is something you hate to think about, but it is something you have to think about now.”
“No one is immune,” Vaskov said.
Falkenhan, speaking over the telephone from his Donora parish, concurred with both. “We take it as it is and pray to God that nothing will happen.”