Dear Friends,

Since the leaked Draft Opinion from the US Supreme Court, indicating the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade, over forty individuals, organizations, churches and at least two dozen Prolife Pregnancy Care Clinics have faced incidents of intimidation, violence or vandalized often with threatening graffiti such as “if abortion aren’t safe than you aren’t either.” https://sbaprolife.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/6.15.22-Pro-Abortion-VandalismViolence-Interruptions-Of-Worship.pdf  And a few Clinics have been firebombed. Message’s from the pro-abortion hate group, Jane’s Revenge threatened: “We demand the disbanding of all antichoice establishments, fake clinics and violent antichoice groups within the next thirty days. We are forced to adopt the minimum military requirement for political struggle."

Also, a man was arrested and charged with the attempted assassination of Justice Kavanagh because of his support of the Draft opinion. The personal details of Justice Comey -Barrett were disseminated on social media including her routine, the fact that she attends daily Mass, the location of her Parish Church and the name and address of the school her children attend

In the meantime, the Diocese has informed us, “The FBI and DHS state that higher profile individuals and institutions are likely to attract more attention from those who intend harm, but also note that any bishop or priest may end up as a target simply by virtue of being the closest or most accessible representative of the Church. Therefore, all priests, clergy, and religious are advised to exercise increased caution and vigilance, and to report any suspicious behavior (such as loitering or possible surveillance) to the police immediately.”

We have been warned.

But the cavalry is not coming. No level of law enforcement will be able to stop the violence if Roe is overturned. And it’s not because there aren’t many great, dedicated law enforcement members who want to keep the peace, defend the innocent and uphold the rule of law. It’s just that they are not in charge. Politicians are the ones who call the shots. Right now, it is to their political advantage to ignore the violence and threats so that their favored constituents and donors support them.

The strategy is pretty straightforward: intimidate the Prolife Movement to the point of shutting down all its Clinics and making it very costly to wear a Prolife rose. I’m not so sure that after fifty years of effort, the Prolife Movement will cry ‘uncle” anytime soon

Consider this: the lead attorney for the DOJ Civil Rights Division that would investigate attacks on Prolife Pregnancy Care Centers, prior to taking the position has publicly demonstrated on social media animus towards Prolifers and labeled Prolife Clinics as #ExposeFakeClinics. One could take from that a less than proactive response by the DOJ into the broad intimidation plan being wages against the Clinics. In the meantime, the response from the White House has been anodyne, the usual “we condemn all violence”.

In addition, the White House invited pro-abortion groups to a meeting to show support for abortion and plan how to find ways to keep access to abortion in states that would restrict it if Roe is overturned and returned to the states for regulation. It would have been helpful if leaders of Pregnancy Care Centers had a meet up at the White House to highlight other options that are available to women. Pitting one side against the other is not a de-escalation strategy.

Whatever happens now won’t be good. If the Supreme Court changes the draft opinion then we will know that the intimidation and threats worked. That would have terrible implications and give the green light to mob rule. And if the Draft Opinion holds then, well we have been warned what is to come.

Still come what may, no matter how often they break windows, graffiti buildings, set them ablaze we will do everything we can to keep them open and to continue to provide mothers with the care and resources they need. We will take the slaps in the face, the spit that is directed at us, the hate and the violence so as to demonstrate that the intrinsic value of human life is worth any price we may have to pay, any insult we may have to bear.

For now, “love your enemies, pray for your persecutors and do good to anyone who hates you.” They are not just words on a page, some lofty ideal presented by Jesus but how we need to act at this moment.

We have an opportunity to show others in our Country that “We love, We care, We help”.

Love, Fr. John B.

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