Sunday, September 22, 2013

Pro-Lifer Assaulted And Knocked To Ground Outside Catholic Church UPDATED!

In my previous posting a few hours ago I described what happened to me earlier this morning at St. Patrick's Church. Here's a short video of the incident.



I was strangely reluctant this morning to get out and do my regular protests at the parishes in St. John's area. Mostly I think this was a result of the troubling comments made recently by Pope Francis. Immediately that I read the transcript of his remarks I thought to myself that he has just made it doubly difficult now for anyone on the frontlines in the culture wars. Not only will we get the usual flack and venom from the secular side but we'll also have liberal Catholics and dissidents of all stripes reminding us that we "obsess" too much over abortion, contraception, etc....according to none other than the Pope.

Even before my day started, the psychological and spiritual damage from the Pope's words were, for me, quite significant. I predict there may well be a serious backlash to pro-life efforts on a widespread basis. I am not directly blaming the Pope for the attack which I endured today but I will simply say that considering I suffered a vicious attack from a fellow Catholic, I expect that future attacks from this quarter will be even more probable. In fact I was truly expecting some Catholics today to mock my protest using the Pope's words! It didn't happen today but I guarantee it will sometime soon.

By the way, the Catholic man who assaulted me today accused me of being "on our property" but in fact my sign, which is six feet wide, was about half way on the sidewalk and half way off the sidewalk. It was a crude and cheap way for him to try to justify his violent behaviour.



UPDATE 1:
I filed a report today with the local police, providing them with my videotape as well as still shots of the perpetrator and at least 6-8 witnesses, all of whom, by the way, were content to watch the vicious assault without saying a word or offering help when I was lying on the road. One gentleman did approach me after the assault and indicated that he had witnessed the event and that he was prepared to corroborate what took place if I required a witness. I later learned that he attends St. Patrick’s Church and is actually a local police officer, although he did not know the thug who attacked me.

I explained to the officer at police headquarters today that I was prepared to press the matter to the limit of the law for two reasons. Firstly, it was a vicious crime which came not only suddenly but with violent force and entirely without provocation. Also the potential outcome of the assault was extremely serious.  Fortunately I am a 63 year old man in very good physical shape without any disabilities which means that my body withstood the hard impact of the road without serious injury. All I have today is a bruise on my knee, a sore shoulder and some numbness and weakness in my right arm which took the major force of the fall. Had my physical health been poor, I suspect I would have sustained broken bones or back injury or even head impact. It is entirely possible that an ambulance would have been required. Furthermore, I was shoved into the actual path of traffic and landed where the wheels of traffic would have traveled. There was normal Sunday traffic that day and I could quite possibly have been struck or run over while on the road.

Secondly, I explained to the officer, I protest regularly throughout the St. John’s area, not only at churches but at other sites as well. I take a good degree of abuse every time I carry a sign, from cursing to spitting to throwing stones to the one finger salute and every possible and colourful epithet imaginable. But never before have I endured such a despicable, cowardly attack, one with potentially life threatening consequences. The person responsible must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law if for no other reason than as an example so that other similar minded thugs will not be encouraged to do the same to me or to some other peaceful, law abiding citizen. As far as animosity is concerned I can honestly say I have forgiven the man and I do indeed pity such a poor cowardly wretch. But forgiveness and justice are two different things.

UPDATE 2:
On another note, I tweeted out my experience at St. Patrick’s Church to my Twitter followers as well as sending direct tweets to LifeSiteNews , LifeNews and ChurchMilitant.TV. (Check out my Twitterfeed in column to the right.) So far it appears that none of them are interested in following up on the story. I haven’t heard back from any of them and none of my tweets have been retweeted, favorited or otherwise passed along. I find that to be more than a little surprising. I thought a pro-lifer being assaulted and knocked to the ground for protesting abortion would be news worthy....more so being outside a Church and perpetrated by a fellow Catholic. But I must be mistaken I guess. Maybe this sort of thing happens all the time and nobody says anything. Could it be the graphic abortion sign that troubles them or could it be the message against contraception in the pews that scares off pro-life media? I'd really like to know. Come on now, I'm a big boy, I can take the truth. 


3 comments:

Admin said...

That is absolutely disgraceful. The authoritarian tone of voice and demeanour of the clown who assaulted you betrays a deep-seated hostility, on the part of a Catholic, to you and the pro-life message. I agree completely that he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent.

It must be very disheartening for you ... that is something we only expect to see outside an abortion clinic, perpetrated by pro-aborts. That it should happen outside a Catholic Church, and the assailant be a fellow Catholic, is simply unbelievable.

Most certainly this should be a wake-up call to the archbishop, and let him see the true state of his archdiocese.

Pitiful that you've had no response yet from pro-life media. You are in my prayers.

Admin said...

The assault on you has really shocked me. I've watched the video several times ... and cannot get over the arrogant and dictatorial tone of voice of your assailant.

In watching it repeatedly, one thing in particular struck me.

From the time the thug completes issuing his command to you (to "Get out on that sidewalk with that sign, right NOW!") until he pushes you violently, just 1.20 seconds elapse.

That's not enough time for you to obey his order (even had you been inclined to do so. It certainly allowed no time for discussion, or even a response on your part.)

That proves (to me) that it was his intention from the beginning to assault you. He gave you no chance whatever to follow his directions.

He had made up his mind to "get" you even before he got within 10 feet of you. He didn't identify himself to you, or indicate that he had any legitimate authority to bark orders at you.

Self-important bullies like that jerk really get under my skin. You say you have already forgiven him ... and good for you, for that. I'm not sure I'd be so quick to forgive.

Whatever about the legal side of things, this yahoo deserves to be publicly shamed before the Catholic community ... if only to safeguard the future safety of other pro-life witnesses.

ELA said...

The assault was indeed quite shocking. In retrospect the most shocking element was the vicious and violent nature of the attack. But equally appalling is the realization that some fellow Catholics actually carry such hatred for those who are serious about protecting human life. The violence that struck me is of the same nature as the violence that kills unborn children, emanating from the same source, the father of lies, a murderer from the beginning.

The police told me shortly after they arrived that Father Dohey had identified to the police the thug who had attacked me. I wondered at the time whether he received Holy Communion that morning. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that he did. I have accused some Bishops of communing with devils because they have no problem feeding obstinate pro-abortion politicians the Body and Blood of Christ. If this man received Holy Communion it would simply be a variation of the same kind of crime (profanation of the Holy Eucharist).