Catholics Brave Sleet to Protest V-Monologues at Siena Heights University
"The wind, snow and sleet made it somewhat difficult," said pro-life leader Kathy Potts who organized the protest. "Even so, 50 or so hearty, faithful souls showed up."
Those who gathered in opposition to the performance of the lewd V-Monologues held signs, prayed the Rosary and recited the Litany of the Saints. "We saw very few people going in to see the play," commented Mrs. Potts. "The fact that this play was allowed, especially in light of our Bishop condemning it, illustrates this is a symptom of a deeper problem."
Summary of The V-Monologues Play Protest & Prayer Rally
Adrian, Michigan
"On April 19 and 20 about 50 to 60 people peacefully protested Siena Heights University's student performance of The V-Monologues. The people participating in the rally were Adrian residents in general, men from the local Knights of Columbus council, Lenawee County Right to Life, Jackson County Right to Life, and Monroe County Right to Life.
"Two members of the clergy also joined the protest on Friday night. These were Fr. Timothy Nelson, pastor of Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Jackson, MI and Fr. Tom Wasilewski who is parochial vicar from St. Joseph Catholic Church in Adrian, MI and St. Joseph Shrine Catholic Church in Brooklyn, MI. On Saturday, Deacon & Mrs. Gene Hausmann from St. Joseph Shrine Catholic Church in Brooklyn (Irish Hills), MI joined us.
"Both nights we prayed the Rosary and other traditional Catholic prayers. We utilized a portable sound system and decried the vile and despicable play and exposed the lies and false claims of the play’s promoters. We held signs citing statements like “V-Monologues Un-Redeeming to Women.” We decried that this play was being performed on a Catholic university campus (or any campus for that matter). On Saturday, after reading Bishop Boyea’s statement about the play and reading the reason given by the two professors who sponsored the play and challenging the inherent hypocrisy and twisting of words, I delivered a clear message through the sound system to the leadership of Siena Heights University who supported the play: “Repent or Resign!”
"Friday night was challenging due to the unexpected change in weather. We had freezing temps, rain, sleet, and winds. Yet everyone came, prayed, and protested. On both nights there was a spirit of charity where we called out the SHU leadership and prayed for conversion."
Our spirits were high and Our Lady was with us. On Saturday there was one lone dissenter holding a sign in opposition to our protest. He was joined by a couple ofyoung ladies attempting to "pray" for the play’s success. However, they were overcome by our witness to Truth and our united prayers and petitions to Jesus and Our Lady and they soon left.
"However, I have some unfortunate news. Fr. Tom Helfrich, chaplain of Siena Heights University, revealed his total support for this play. After speaking with the counter protesters just mentioned, Fr. Helfrich walked across the street to our rally and began speaking with us. One of our protesters from Jackson admonished Fr. Helfrich for his support of the play. Not knowing this at the time I invited Fr. Helfrich to offer a prayer on the microphone. All was fine until his last line of the prayer when he said “the purpose of the play is to support women abused in domestic violence.”
"My jaw dropped and to make sure I remained in a spirit of charity I immediately led our Rosary. After that I made it loud and clear on the microphone that he was wrong and that was not the purpose of the play. To drive the point home I made the pro-abortion connection of the V-Monologues and Planned Parenthood who is planning to have Eve Ensler, the writer of the play, as a keynote speaker for a luncheon on May 9, 2012 in Troy, MI.
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/midsouthmi/.
"There were a number of wonderful letters to the editor of the Adrian Daily Telegram from folks disgusted with this play.
"All in all we had a very blessed rally on both nights. It was the first public protest I was called to lead and I could not have done it without God and all those involved. And it was the first such public protest against the likes of this hijacking of Catholic social teaching in our Catholic university and Churches in Adrian. Perhaps the Holy Spirit will lead us onward. The students of SHU and the citizens of Adrian, MI deserve to be formed in authentic Catholic teaching and discipline."