Catholic School Targeted—Arrest Mid-Drive

Police and forensic team at a crime scene near an abandoned church in the desert

A Pennsylvania man posted a chilling threat on Facebook against a Catholic church and school — then told the world he was already driving there.

Story Snapshot

Christopher Henderson, 37, of Exton, Pennsylvania, was arrested Tuesday after posting threats against St. Pius X Catholic Church and school in Broomall.
Henderson allegedly wrote “I’m sending all you (expletive)s to hell” and then posted that he was on his way to the church’s parking lot.
Police tracked him down and arrested him in Newtown Square before he could reach the property.
A judge set bail at $500,000 and issued stay-away orders. Henderson faces a felony terroristic threats charge.

Facebook Post Sparked Fast Police Response

Christopher Henderson posted the threats on Facebook, targeting St. Pius X Parish in Marple Township, Delaware County. Police say the post read, “I’m sending all you (expletive)s to hell.” What made the situation more alarming was a follow-up post. Henderson allegedly wrote that he was driving to the school’s parking lot. That second post turned a threatening message into an active, moving threat — and police moved fast.^[1]

Marple Township officers launched a manhunt after seeing the posts. They found Henderson in nearby Newtown Square and arrested him Tuesday morning before he reached the church or school.^[6] Police say the quick response may have stopped a tragedy. St. Pius X runs both a parish and a Catholic school, meaning children were potentially in the crosshairs of whatever Henderson had planned.^[3]

Felony Charge and Half-Million Dollar Bail

Henderson now faces one felony count of making terroristic threats, a third-degree felony under Pennsylvania law.^[1] A judge set his bail at $500,000 and entered stay-away orders, barring him from the church and school.^[11] The high bail signals that the court takes this threat seriously. Henderson remained jailed as of the initial reports. No defense statement disputing the wording or context of the Facebook posts has appeared in available records.^[7]

Prosecutors with the Delaware County District Attorney’s office are handling the case. The charge carries serious prison time if Henderson is convicted. Terroristic threats in Pennsylvania can result in up to seven years behind bars. The stay-away orders mean Henderson cannot approach St. Pius X even if he posts bail.^[8]

A Catholic Community Put on Alert

St. Pius X is a well-established Catholic parish in Broomall, a suburb west of Philadelphia. The church runs a school, so the threat put both worshippers and students at risk. Parents and parishioners learned of the arrest through local news and police statements. Officers credited the combined effort of multiple agencies for the quick arrest and said the public’s awareness of the posts also helped speed the response.^[10]

This case is a reminder that threats against churches and faith communities are real and rising. Catholic institutions have faced a wave of vandalism and threats in recent years. Law enforcement acted decisively here, and that fast action matters. When someone posts that they are on their way to a church full of families and children, every second counts. The community at St. Pius X was fortunate that police moved quickly enough to stop Henderson before he arrived.^[9]