Rome Yanks Largest Pro-Life Poster in Its History

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Rome Yanks Largest Pro-Life Poster in Its History

"Rome Will Lose The Faith and Become the Seat of Anti-Christ"

The Plot to Change Catholicism: The Catholic columnist Ross Douthat wrote in the New York Times that the "main conspirator against Catholicism" is Bergoglio "the pontiff’s ambitions have encouraged plotters and counterplotters to work with greater vigor"

Mayor claims pro-life display violates 'civil rights'

by Juliana Freitag • ChurchMilitant.com

Roman authorities have removed from a busy street near the Vatican the largest pro-life poster in the history of Italian pro-life activism. The huge poster, spanning three stories, features the image of an 11-week-old unborn child, and was part of a chain of demonstrations promoted by pro-life group ProVita Onlus to recall 40 years of legal abortion in Italy. The poster, which had been legally granted a permit to be posted from April 3–15, was taken down by Mayor Virginia Raggi after a mere three days.

ProVita Onlus is used to censorship. The group was recently harassed by Italian Police because of a billboard truck paying tribute to late Dubia Cardinal Carlo Caffarra, and the municipality of Rome acknowledges that it regularly bans posters from ProVita because its "content harms individual rights and liberties." This time, in less than 24 hours, the police had already been called over the "offensive" picture of a baby sucking his thumb, displayed along with a few biological truths: "At eleven weeks, you already sucked your thumb," "all your organs were present," and "you are here because your mother hasn't aborted you."

Biologist Enzo Pennetta wrote, "The removal [of the poster] means we are not free to state scientific truths if they are not aligned with political correctness."

ProVita's goal was to "shake the conscience of millions ... to remind them that abortion suppresses a human being, not a clump of cells." The group has launched a petition to the Ministry of Health asking for the promotion of "awareness regarding the impact of abortion on women's health."

The first one to demand the poster's removal was Democratic Party Senator Monica Cirinnà, champion of LGBT rights and author of the bill that eventually sanctioned homosexual civil unions in Italy. The senator deemed the campaign "shameful," claiming it "disrespected State law." Many recall that Cirinnà restlessly campaigns for surrogacy, illegal in Italy and condemned by the European Union, therefore some believe her pleas to validate the purchase of human beings should be forbidden, as they "disrespect State law."

Other progressive politicians and feminist associations followed suit, demanding the immediate removal of the pro-life display. Local libertarian group Aurelio in Comune had already been authorized to rally "against the religious integralism that is attacking the law" on April 7, but the poster was removed before that.

ProVita Onlus is appealing the decision, a difficult task, as the association has not received any official communication. Alessandro Fiore, spokesperson for ProVita, explained to Il Foglio: "We tried to get in touch with authorities to get an official written communication with their motivations. They've only officially warned the company responsible for managing the billboard" (the warning claimed a "violation of civil rights").

This isn't over. The baby will be back, everywhere, even if I have to sell my own house for this. Tweet

Fiore also revealed that the campaign is going to be intensified in May, and that the image of the baby in the womb will definitely come back. This was confirmed by Toni Brandi, president of ProVita Onlus: "This isn't over. The baby will be back, everywhere, even if I have to sell my own house for this. We will protest in many ways, in the name of reason and common sense."

As for the censorship, Brandi added that "this was an unacceptable violation of freedom of speech. ... The company responsible for the billboard took down a fully paid, licensed poster, out of fear, like in a Nazi-Soviet State."

"This baby ... is so powerful that they must hide him," Brandi said.

All these attacks (from LGBT news portals to comparisons to Hitler on Twitter) prompted ProVita Onlus to initiate a campaign on social media to make people aware of the censorship it has suffered. The response has been immediate, especially among politicians. Georgia Meloni (from the "Brothers of Italy" party) declared: "If they are going to remove the picture from our roads, then we'll post it all over social media."

Monica Ciaburro (also from "Brothers of Italy") stated: "How is it possible that someone is so disturbed by a baby in the womb?"

Simone Pillon, recently elected senator with the Northern League and one of the original founders of committee Difendiamo I nostri Figli (which organizes the largest pro-life, pro-family rallies in Italy), even summoned a press conference in the Senate in order "to bring to the debate the physical and psychological repercussions of abortion on women."

And Marco Franzoni, mayor of the town of Cerea, offered to host the censored poster in his town, proclaiming he'd be "very proud to stand up for the right to life."

On Saturday, more than a hundred pro-life activists joined the sit-in to protest the censorship. The peaceful event, put together by ProVita Onlus, was initially denied in two locations before finally being authorized to rally farther away from Rome's City Hall.

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We will recognize them by their fruits.

Prayer to St. Michael

Please protect us, St. Michael the Archangel, against violence, murder, and robbery. In your goodness preserve us today from all the malice of sinful and wicked persons. In your sleepless vigilance watch over the safety and welfare of our homes, and keep guard over our possessions. Ever hold in your special care, most triumphant St. Michael, the forces of public order against the crimes of evil people, and defend all honest citizens in time of peril. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Novena Prayer to St. Michael

(Pray for nine consecutive days)
Saint Michael the Archangel, loyal champion of God and His Catholic people, I turn to thee with confidence and seek thy powerful intercession. For the love of God, Who hast made thee so glorious in grace and power, and for the love of the Mother of Jesus, the Queen of the Angels, be pleased to hear my prayer.
Thou knowest the value of my soul in the eyes of God. May no stain of evil ever disfigure its beauty. Help me to conquer the evil spirit who tempts me. I desire to imitate thy loyalty to God and Holy Mother Church and thy great love for God and men. And since thou art God’s messenger for the care of His people, I entrust to thee this special request: (here mention your request).
Saint Michael, since thou art, by the will of the Creator, the powerful intercessor of Christians, I have great confidence in thy prayers. I earnestly trust that if it is God’s holy will, my petition will be granted.
Pray for me, Saint Michael, and also for those I love. Protect us in all dangers of body and soul. Help us in our daily needs. Through thy powerful intercession, may we live a holy life, die a happy death and reach Heaven where we may praise and love God with thee forever. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.
St. Michael, Guardian of souls, Vanquisher of rebel spirits, Pray for us.

St John Chrysostom

Our Lord having reproached the Jews with blindness, they might have said, We are not blind, but we avoid you as a deceiver. Our Lord therefore gives the marks which distinguish a robber and deceiver from a true shepherd. First come those of the deceiver and robber: Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. There is an allusion here to Antichrist, and to certain false Christs who had been, and were to be. The Scriptures He calls the door. They admit us to the knowledge of God, they protect the sheep, they shut out the wolves, they bar the entrance to heretics. He that uses not the Scriptures, but climbs up some other way, i.e. some self-chosen, some unlawful way, is a thief. Climbs up, He says, not, enters, as if it were a thief getting over a wall, and running all risks. Some other way, may refer too to the commandments and traditions of men which the Scribes taught, to the neglect of the Law. When our Lord further on calls Himself the Door, we need not be surprised. According to the office which He bears, He is in one place the Shepherd, in another the Sheep. In that He introduces us to the Father, He is the Door, in that He takes care of us, He is the Shepherd. (Catena Aurea)

LIBERTAS ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON THE NATURE OF HUMAN LIBERTY
35. And as to tolerance, it is surprising how far removed from the equity and prudence of the Church are those who profess what is called liberalism. For, in allowing that boundless license of which We have spoken, they exceed all limits, and end at last by making no apparent distinction between truth and error, honesty and dishonesty. And because the Church, the pillar and ground of truth, and the unerring teacher of morals, is forced utterly to reprobate and condemn tolerance of such an abandoned and criminal character, they calumniate her as being wanting in patience and gentleness, and thus fail to see that, in so doing, they impute to her as a fault what is in reality a matter for commendation. But, in spite of all this show of tolerance, it very often happens that, while they profess themselves ready to lavish liberty on all in the greatest profusion, they are utterly intolerant toward the Catholic Church, by refusing to allow her the liberty of being herself free.

“If you want to be certain of being in the number of the Elect, strive to be one of the few, not one of the many. And if you would be quite sure of your salvation, strive to be among the fewest of the few; that is to say, do not follow the great majority of mankind, but follow those who enter upon the narrow way, who renounce the world, who give themselves to prayer, and who never relax their efforts by day or night, so that they may attain everlasting blessedness.” -Saint Anselm, Father and Doctor of the Church

PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH, THE PROTECTOR OF CHRISTIAN FAMILIES Great Saint Joseph, who wast chosen of God to be the head of the holiest and most august of families, deign to cast thy eyes upon us, and take us this day under thy special protection. Holy Patriarch, model of the holiest faith, and of the most perfect virtues, obtain for all the members of this family grace to withstand the dangers and seductions of the world, and to remain stedfastly attached to the LORD. Obtain for us that, always united by the bonds of the most tender charity, and encouraging one another mutually in good works, we may taste under thy auspices the sweetness of that peace which JESUS has promised to His true disciples. But above all, when our last hour shall come, obtain for us that we may find grace before the Sovereign Judge, so that, reunited in heaven at the foot of Thy Throne, we may celebrate everlastingly the glory of GOD and thy praise. Amen.

St. Vincent Ferrer -- Sermon on the Last Judgment: In the same way, in the time of Antichrist, the Sun of justice will be obscured by the interposition of temporal goods and the wealth which Antichrist will bestow on the world, inasmuch as the brightness of faith in Jesus Christ and the glow of good lives will no longer shine among Christians. For, lest they should lose their dominion, temporal rulers, kings and princes will range themselves on the side of Antichrist. In like manner, prelates for fear of losing their dignities, and religious and priests to gain honors and riches, will forsake the Faith of Christ and adhere to Antichrist.

Neither living nor lifeless faith remains in a heretic who disbelieves one article of faith. The reason of this is that the species of every habit depends on the formal aspect of the object, without which the species of the habit cannot remain. Now the formal object of faith is the First Truth, as manifested in Holy Writ and the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth. Consequently whoever does not adhere, as to an infallible and Divine rule, to the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth manifested in Holy Writ, has not the habit of faith, but holds that which is of faith otherwise than by faith. Even so, it is evident that a man whose mind holds a conclusion without knowing how it is proved, has not scientific knowledge, but merely an opinion about it. Now it is manifest that he who adheres to the teaching of the Church, as to an infallible rule, assents to whatever the Church teaches; otherwise, if, of the things taught by the Church, he holds what he chooses to hold, and rejects what he chooses to reject, he no longer adheres to the teaching of the Church as to an infallible rule, but to his own will. Hence it is evident that a heretic who obstinately disbelieves one article of faith, is not prepared to follow the teaching of the Church in all things; but if he is not obstinate, he is no longer in heresy but only in error. Therefore it is clear that such a heretic with regard to one article has no faith in the other articles, but only a kind of opinion in accordance with his own will. (Saint Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 5, a. 3)

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Rome Yanks Largest Pro-Life Poster in Its History

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✿St. Joseph pray for us.✿