Cardinal Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, Releases Statement on the Grant Park Cross Burning " hate has no place in our country"

 

On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, a large wooden cross was erected and set on fire in broad daylight in Chicago's Grant Park, sparking widespread outrage and triggering a joint investigation by local police and the FBI. Motorists and pedestrians captured video of the 6-foot-tall flaming cross, which quickly went viral online. Witnesses and community leaders expressed profound shock, noting the painful historical association of cross burning as a tool of white supremacist terror and Ku Klux Klan intimidation against Black Americans.

Statement of Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, on the Grant Park Cross Burning

June 10, 2026

Burning crosses, dramatic expressions of hatred designed to terrorize, were once sadly commonplace in our country. Yesterday, we were reminded that the sickness of spirit they symbolize exists not only in the pages of history but in our present day. Seeing a burning cross in one of Chicago’s most-visited public parks was shocking but not surprising. We condemn in the strongest terms this action and affirm that hate has no place in our country, our city and our hearts. We pledge to work with our city’s faith and community leaders to redouble our efforts to share the Gospel message that we are all children of God, made in His image.

Source: https://www.archchicago.org/en/statement/-/article/2026/06/10/statement-of-cardinal-blase-j-cupich-archbishop-of-chicago-on-the-grant-park-cross-burning