Catholic Priest, Pro-Life Advocates Arrested After Going Inside Clinic to Save Babies From Abortion

State   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Apr 25, 2022   |   4:59PM   |   Washington, DC

Six pro-life advocates, including a Catholic priest, were arrested Saturday for peacefully trying to save pregnant mothers and unborn babies from abortion at a Michigan abortion facility.

In the process, they believe one mother may have chosen life for her unborn baby.

Ten pro-life advocates participated in the Red Rose Rescue at the Northland Family Planning abortion facility in Southfield, Michigan. The facility advertises abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

“Rescue is like a light of reality shining through the darkness and insanity of the culture of death,” said Will Goodman, a volunteer with Red Rose Rescue. “The selfless sacrifices of these rescuers to

save the perishing are always incredibly fruitful in this great spiritual battle to defend lives and save souls.”

On Saturday morning, the pro-life advocates split into three groups to reach out to mothers in the first- and second-floor lobbies of the large office building where the abortion facility is located and inside the abortion facility waiting room itself, the group told LifeNews.

The Red Rose Rescue involves pro-life advocates peacefully entering an abortion facility and offering information and encouragement to the women inside. Some pro-life advocates refuse to leave the facility until forced to do so by law enforcement. They believe that refusing to leave is an act of solidarity with the unborn babies who are scheduled to be killed by abortionists.

Four pro-life advocates, Father Fidelis Moscinski, Elizabeth Wagi, Brianna Mantel and Jacob Gregor, entered the waiting room and offered women red roses with a message of encouragement attached, the group told LifeNews. The message also includes contact information for local pregnancy resource centers.

LifeNews is on GETTR. Please follow us for the latest pro-life news

Pro-life leader Dr. Monica Miller said they think one of the women left the abortion facility as a result of their outreach and may have chosen life for her baby.

“We did all we could,” she said. “These moms and babies are worthy of such love and sacrifice.”

When the abortion staff noticed the pro-life advocates, they quickly got angry and called police, the group said. Two “extremely belligerent and physically aggressive” security guards came into the waiting room and began roughly removing the pro-lifers, the group continued.

Pro-lifers said Wagi and Gies were grabbed “roughly” and dragged out into the hallway, and Gregor was picked up and thrown “in the air into the hallway.”

“Moscinski, CFR, was treated most savagely as the armed abortion center guards tackled and forcefully removed him into the hallway by grabbing his neck and throwing him down. Then, one of the brutal abortion guards, weighing at least 250 pounds, straddled his body on top of Fr. Fidelis as the priest laid on the floor in the hallway …” the group told LifeNews.

They said the security guard actually called himself a “good Christian” and a “superhero.”

A short time later, they said police arrived and arrested six pro-life advocates who refused to leave. They were Miller, Moscinski, Wagi, Gies, Gregor and Matthew Connolly. Police cited the six for misdemeanor trespassing and resisting arrest. Their court date is scheduled for May 16.

Wagi said she told police as they arrested her: “Please let us go. We are not just here for the babies but for the mothers, too, who are terribly harmed by the abortion experience.”

Five of the six have been released from jail, but Connolly remains in police custody. Calling himself “Baby John Doe,” he said he wants to serve as a reminder of the unwanted unborn babies and therefore is refusing to cooperate with the booking process.

Miller said she, Wagi and Gies used their time in jail to reach out to other women who were incarcerated with them, sharing about post-abortion healing programs and offering to pray for them.

“Indeed, after the prayer, one of the women in the lockup with us broke into tears,” Gies said.

The pro-life advocates said they are committed to peaceful, prayerful outreach to mothers and unborn babies who are being targeted by the abortion industry.

“The violence directed at peaceful pro-lifers is but a visible window into the much greater lethal violence directed against our invisible sisters and brothers in the womb,” Goodman said.