DUXBURY, Mass. (AP) – Police arrested a 19-year-old Duxbury man on Tuesday for allegedly burning a cross at a Roman Catholic church, an act investigators are calling a hate crime.

Gregory Cerne was charged with arson, destruction or threats to destroy a place of worship, and property damage for the purpose of intimidating. He’s scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Plymouth District Court.

The motive was not immediately clear, but authorities said Cerne lives near Holy Family Church and his family is among its parishioners.

The pastor, Monsignor William F. Glynn, said he discovered the 8-foot tall wooden crucifix leaning against a concrete pillar outside the front door early Monday morning. The fire damaged the door, but the flames were out by the time Glynn found the charred cross, police said.

Glynn said he is forgiving of Cerne. “He’s a human being,” he said.

The cross was left outside the church between 10:30 p.m. Sunday and 6:30 a.m. Monday, when Glynn arrived for early Mass, police said. An accelerant was apparently used to ignite it.

Glynn said the church had not received any hate mail.

A smaller cross was left on the front lawn of a home about a quarter-mile from the church but was never lit, police said. The homeowners are parishioners at Holy Family.

Police Chief Mark Deluca said a confidential informant gave police a list of possible suspects.

“With those names and information we received… (we) identified the suspect, who later confessed to constructing, bringing the cross and lighting it.”

Police said the investigating is ongoing.