Sydney Priest Defies Death Threat After Speaking Out on Bondi Terror Attack

A Sydney Catholic priest has received a death threat after speaking out about Islam following the Bondi terror attack. The threat came just days after an alleged Muslim man was removed from his church – twice.

SUMMERY

Sydney law enforcement now has possession of an alleged Islamic death threat against a Bondi priest.

Bondi Junction’s Father Mirko Integlia, pastor of the parish’s Holy Cross Catholic Church, was handed the threat days after an alleged Muslim was removed from the church.

The apparent incident occurred twice.

In March, churchgoers told police a man entered the church, engaged in Islamic prayer, then took photos of Integlia.

The agitator left after attendants stopped him from attempting to receive Communion because he clearly didn’t identify as Catholic. This is a practice applied to all non-Catholics, including other Christians.

He then left the church shouting, “There’s just one god, that’s Allah!”

Police investigated the first incident and ruled that the apparent Muslim’s disruption of morning Mass was simply a bad “mental health episode”.

The Daily Telegraph (DT) reported on Saturday that “authorities took no further action.”

One week later, the church, which sits on the edge of Bondi Junction and Woollahra suburbs, was targeted again.

Either undeterred by a visit from the New South Wales Police or emboldened by their apparent dismissal of the incident, the 39-year-old man returned.

Father Integlia told DT, the individual “sat in the pews during Sunday services, holding prayer beads.”

Parishioners again had to ask him to leave.

Full Article

Father Mirko Integlia, pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Bondi Junction, was handed the chilling letter after a series of unsettling incidents at his parish. But instead of backing down, the priest is standing firm.

“It’s not the moment to hide, it’s not the moment to be afraid,” Integlia told The Daily Telegraph. “The best way to fight the evil we see around us is not to bring more evil. It is simply to choose good over evil. There is no other way.”

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Church Disrupted Twice Before Threat Arrived

The trouble began in March. According to churchgoers, a man entered the church, engaged in Islamic prayer, then started taking photos of Father Integlia. When attendants stopped the man from trying to receive Communion – a practice applied to all non-Catholics, including other Christians – he left the church shouting, “There’s just one god, that’s Allah!”

Police investigated the first incident but ruled that the apparent Muslim’s disruption of morning Mass was simply a bad “mental health episode.” Authorities took no further action.

Just one week later, the man returned. Either undeterred by the police visit or emboldened by their apparent dismissal of the incident, the 39-year-old sat in the pews during Sunday services, holding prayer beads. Parishioners again had to ask him to leave.

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Easter Security Upgrade as Tensions Escalated

With Lent ending and Easter approaching, a concerned Integlia hired private security to protect his congregation and deter any potential attack. As events would prove, the move was justified.

Last Thursday, the church received a letter. It told the priest and the congregation that if they continued to talk about Islam, they would all be killed.

The letter warned: “If you keep saying things about Muslims, I will kill all of you. If you say anything about Islam, you’ll suffer the same.”

According to the Daily Telegraph, the threat also contained an image of a man holding a machine gun.

The Archdiocese of Sydney issued a statement saying they were deeply concerned about the incident, adding that it highlighted the need for both security and respectful dialogue. “We abhor any violence and threats of violence,” the church said, including threats against “congregants and leaders of churches, synagogues, mosques and temples.”

The archdiocese also said they are willing to work with all people of goodwill to promote religious freedom and social cohesion.

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Father Integlia Vows to Stand Firm

Integlia, who also lectures in Philosophy at the Australian Catholic University, described the letter as a “symptom of social tension.” The threat, he explained, could be related to a number of solidarity events he initiated after the Bondi Islamic terror attack last December – an attack for which ISIS took credit.

One of those events was an invitation to Sydney’s Great Synagogue Chief, Rabbi Benjamin Elton, to speak at the church before Christmas. Another was projecting an image of 10-year-old Bondi massacre victim Matilda Bee Britvan at Christmas Mass.

The church has since posted a planned support event for the priest on 17 May, calling it a good chance for the community to give back. Integlia’s congregation described him as “a man who has spent his life serving God, standing by families in their darkest moments, and comfoSydney Priest Defies Death Threat After Speaking Out on Bondi Terror Attackrting the broken.” They said a man who has given his whole heart to the community should never have to face fear and hatred alone.

“Now it’s our turn to stand beside him,” the church posted on social media. “In a world filled with darkness, we will answer with prayer, unity, and strength. Let this Mass be more than a service – let it be a powerful message that our community stands together, stronger than fear.”

NSW Police’s special task force for monitoring religious violence and protecting citizens against it is said to be closely involved in the case.