WATCH: Bp. Schneider calling out ‘Islamization of Europe’ goes viral amid Spain migrant crisis

(LifeSiteNews) — A 2025 clip of Bishop Athanasius Schneider calling out the “invasion” of Islamic migrants into Europe for destroying its Christian heritage has resurfaced across social media after tens of thousands of migrants swarmed into Spain last week.

In the brief clip, noting the mass influx of Muslim migrants into Europe, the bishop stressed that many of these people are not refugees and that the “mass Islamization” of Europe is part of a plot by the “powerful” to destroy Christianity in Europe. Many X users reposted the clip alongside a video of migrants rushing into the small Spanish territory of Ceuta from the Moroccan border last week.

“Now we are witnessing an invasion. They are not refugees—no—this is an invasion of the mass Islamization of Europe,” the bishop said in the clip. “And so this is a global political agenda by the powerful of the world: to destroy Europe culturally and religiously—to destroy Christianity ultimately in Europe.”

Bishop Schneider: “They are not refugees, they’re invaders who want to Islamize Europe. They want to destroy Europe’s religion and culture.” pic.twitter.com/vsblccWr8D

— Sign of the Cross (@CatholicSOTC) August 3, 2026

During last week’s migrant surge, approximately 50-60,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta illegally, more than half of the city’s population between July 30-31, with at least 86 people dying during the surge, mostly by drowning while trying to swim onto the Spanish shores.

READ: Horror invasion unfolding as tens of thousands of Moroccans swarm Spanish enclave

The Daily Mail reported that the situation even led to unrest in the streets, with locals taking to the streets to protest and push back the trespassers.

“Many were seen waving Spanish flags and screaming at them,” the Mail reported. “As a group of migrants were seen running away, a loud police siren was heard in the background.” The National Police union Jupol issued a statement bemoaning the “clear lack of personnel and material resources” to deal with the situation.

🚨#BREAKING: The Moroccan Muslims who have invaded the small Spanish city of Ceuta are now BREAKING INTO STORES by the HUNDREDS.

Police are completely overwhelmed.

Migrants can be seen running from one store to the next, grabbing items and running.

WHERE IS THE MILITARY?!!!!! pic.twitter.com/NjqQAI4zgD

— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) July 31, 2026

The Spanish government eventually sent troops on Friday to “reinforce the Civil Guard in the exercise of its powers and any others that may be necessary to maintain security in the city of Ceuta,” the interior ministry said, and would be working with the Moroccan government to return the migrants “as soon as possible.”

The mass border rush was so devastating that even Spain’s leftist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez denounced the incident as “a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity.” Most of these migrants have since left the city voluntarily, according to officials.

While Catholic social teaching affirms that immigrants should be treated with dignity and respect, it also notes that a country has a right to secure its borders. In the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB’s) “Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration and the Movement of Peoples,” the conference outlines that countries are under no obligation to accept all who wish to enter.

READ: WHO director Tedros attacks Bishop Schneider for ‘demonizing’ Muslim migrants: ‘Fear is not faith’

Several other Catholic clerics have echoed Bishop Schneider’s comments about immigration. In 2017, Cardinal Robert Sarah, in remarks at Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Poland, denounced the “outside forces” who try to impose themselves on Poland and other European nations without assimilating.

“In what manner is it possible to remove the rights of the nation to distinguish between a political or religious refugee, who must flee from his homeland, and the economic migrant, who wants to change his address without adapting himself, identifying with, and accepting the culture of the country in which he will live?” Cardinal Sarah asked.

The Guinean cardinal also underscored the importance of rebuilding nations that have suffered from war and other injustices without uprooting the people of other countries, and called out those who “exploit the word of God” to justify the promotion of multiculturalism.

“I say again that we must work together to rebuild the nations that have fallen victim to war, corruption, and injustice, but this does not mean encouraging the uprooting of peoples and the destruction of nations,” he said. “Some people exploit the Word of God to justify the promotion of multiculturalism and gladly take advantage of the excuse of hospitality to justify the admission of immigrants.”