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March 24, 2008

Anti-War Protestors Mar Easter Service

Rick Moran
Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago is one of the city's landmarks and a place where Catholics have come to worship since the Chicago fire in 1871. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Chicago - the largest Archdiocese in the United States.

Because of repairs being made in the Cathedral itself, the 11:00 AM service was being held in the large auditorium. At around the mid point of the service - just as Cardinal George began his homily - there was a disturbance in the rear of the venue.

Six anti-war protestors affiliated with a group calling itself "Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War" burst in and began spraying fake blood on themselves and parishoners. They screamed anti-war slogans before being hustled out by security and arrested:

Three men and three women startled the crowd during Cardinal Francis George's homily, yelling

"Even the Pope calls for peace" as they were removed from the Mass by security guards and ushers.

One Mass attendee, Mike Wainscott of Chicago, yelled at the anti-war protesters. "Are you happy with yourselves?" he said. "There were kids in there. You scared little kids with your selfish act. Are you happy now?"

The group, which calls itself Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War, said in a statement after the arrests that they targeted the Holy Name Cathedral on Easter to reach a large audience, including Chicago's most prominent Catholic citizens and the press, which usually covers the services.

Kevin Clark of International Solidarity Movement told the Chicago Tribune that he attended the Mass to serve as a witness for the protesters.

"If Cardinal George is a man of peace and is walking the walk and talking the talk, he should have confronted George Bush and demanded an immediate end to the war," Clark said.

Speaking after the service, George said, "We should all work for peace, but not by interrupting the worship of God."
The Cardinal has a gift for understatement. But the protestors got what they wanted - which is the same thing 2 year olds desire; attention. Their names are plastered all over the internet and they are receiving accolades from the usual suspects on the left.

After all, speaking "truth to power" means sometimes you have to step on some toes - even if that requires disrespecting the deepest beliefs of American citizens sitting in a place that should be a sanctuary from the ravages of the outside world. At least, that seems to be true when leftists hide illegal immigrants or harbor criminals in Catholic churches. Then the term "sanctuary" becomes literal.

But ordinary Americans worshipping in their usual way? Fair game to the left.

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