68-year-old man arrested for torching century-old Catholic church in New Brunswick

A century-old church in New Brunswick was destroyed in a fire that was determined to have been intentionally set, with a 68-year-old Saint-Simon resident arrested and charged with arson.

Last Monday, emergency responders were called to reports of a fire at Saint-Simon Catholic Church, a wooden building that was more than 100 years old. The church was unoccupied at the time.

Authorities later determined that the fire was “intentionally set.” Police identified the man charged in connection with the fire as 68-year-old Gilles Mallet. The building was declared a total loss.

Bathurst Bishop Michel Proulx said in a statement that he was “devasted” by the destruction of the church.

“This event has plunged us into deep sorrow,” said Proulx. “What an immeasurable loss! So many memories are tied to this beautiful wooden church: baptisms, weddings, funerals and so many other significant events. Several generations of Christians celebrated their faith there, and it was the precious legacy of our ancestors. I want to assure the members of the St. Simon community of my support and my prayers.”

According to the Conservative Party, religious institutions across Canada have experienced a sharp increase in intentional fires over the past decade, with more than 100 churches burned or vandalized since 2020. The party has called on the Liberal government to take additional action to protect places of worship, including supporting a conservative bill aimed at increasing maximum prison sentences for arson offences, as well as an effort to “modernize the wording of Criminal Code so that sentences for arson directed against places of worship are more targeted.”

Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre also responded to the fire in a post on social media.

“I am relieved that no one was injured, but the perpetrator of this criminal arson must be held fully accountable for their actions before the justice system,” Poilievre wrote. “More than 100 churches have been burned and vandalized across Canada over the past five years. We must absolutely put an end to these hateful attacks on our places of worship.”