The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh announced the cancellation of the Our Lady of Grace parish festival in Scott Township, Allegheny County, this week due to a disturbing handwritten letter.

The festival had been scheduled to run Wednesday through Saturday.

In late July, an office in the Diocese of Pittsburgh Pastoral Center received a handwritten letter that said, in part, “Cancel August 14-17 Festival Security Problem is Huge,” according to the diocese.

Only one parish, Our Lady of Grace in Scott, was scheduled to hold a festival on those dates, according to the news release.

“Although there was no direct threat, the letter raised grave concern because of the appalling chain of mass violence that our nation has experienced,” according to the release.

Although the Rev. David Bonnar, priest-administrator of the parish, immediately informed law enforcement about the message, he announced Tuesday the festival was being canceled because authorities have not identified the sender.

“The loss of income to Our Lady of Grace Parish and School, and to vendors who were scheduled to work at the festival, pales in comparison to the loss of lives in Dayton, El Paso, Squirrel Hill and too many other places,” the diocese said in its release. “The diocese supports the decision not to risk becoming another name in that tragic litany. But we mourn the loss of carefree community that should be the hallmark of these joyous events.”

Before the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, organizers for several Butler County festivals told the Butler Eagle they had not changed security measures for events in the wake of a shooting at a California festival. Those events included the annual Moraine State Park Regatta and Butler Farm Show, both of which were recently held.

City police will deploy triple its usual number of officers and the CB Rangers will handle traffic control during the Butler Italian Festival next week. State police, Butler Township police and the county sheriff’s office will be on standby for the Aug. 23-25 event.