Anti-Catholic Protestors Taunting Pilgrims

[Ice_nine]

I've just made a decision. If this ever happens to me I'm just gonna sing the Sanctus.

I don't even know what emotion I have about these photos. Yes I understand people have things against the Catholic church. I certainly don't mind in engaging in friendly conversation with people who have a lot of resentment towards Christ's Church, but what does dressing up like a (gay pope?) and yelling in the faces of some kids exactly accomplish other than making you like quite the copper posser bag?

I get why people have issues with the church, or more often "issues with what they think the church is." I used to have a lot of disgust towards Catholicism so I understand how people can get to that point. I can sympathize with them, and if possible try to talk them down from the proverbial ledge. But to complain about how hateful religion is and then go make a complete arse out of yourself . . . it's maddening in its self-sabotage and strangely that's what frustrates me the most. People yap on and on about being loving and tolerant and then act contradictory towards all the ideas that they claim to hold in esteem, and I would wager these people would like to believe they are endorse scientific progress and rational thought but they are so clearly motivated primarily by emotion.

Edited August 20, 2011 by Ice_nine

[she_who_is_not]

Jesus said there'd be days like this. There'd be days like this my Jesus said.

[Amppax]

I'm pretty proud of the pilgrims. If I was there the picture might look a little different, so props to them for keeping there cool, and giving us such an amesome example.

[Lil Red]

an account ([url="http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/08/must-read-young-persons-account-harass-harassment-and-violence-at-wyd/"]via Fr. Z[/url]) of one of the girl's experiences:

[quote]
We had been wandering Madrid all day, chillin
The boys were wearing their kilts so we got stopped for photos many times
One guy who stopped us said there was [b]an anti Catholic protest[/b] in Sol so [b]we went to check it out[/b]
There was this [b]HUGE crowd [/b]of people so Seamus & Louise didn´t want to come check it out with us, they sat at a corner
We went in and [b]people were shouting filthy slurs and cursing the Pope[/b] and it was awful
So [b]we knelt down and prayed a Rosary for them[/b] in the crowd and [b]got surrounded by angry protesters, shouting and threatening and spitting and filming us and mocking us and trying to burn our flags[/b].
A gay couple came and [b]made out in front of us[/b] but whatever
Anyway, Dominic made us stand up because he felt threatened so we finished our Rosary standing but on the last decade, [b]a fight broke out[/b] right next to us between the Catholics who had been standing behind us and and the protesters so some of the other Catholics lead us out of the crowd.
We went back and dropped our bags with Louise and this time Mim stayed back so it was just Me & Dominic & Greg & Billy who went back and [b]prayed a second rosary on the side of the crowd and we got more of the same, people getting up in our faces screaming[/b]
We were met with a couple more of [b]Juventutem [/b]but they left after we finished our second Rosary before [b]one had an emotional breakdown[/b].
Everyone left but the group I just mentioned above and we chanted [b]BENEDICTO, BENEDICTO and VIVA PAPA and waved our Papal flag and so on up against the police line[/b]
Lots of people yelled at us still
Then, [b]the police line broke and they charged at us and we had to run for our lives[/b] a little more urgently than after our Rosary
Then the [b]riot police came out and beat the ___ out of the protesters[/b]
At least one guy lost a WYD pilgrim from his group in the crowd and a lot of medics showed up… A lot of people got lost & hurt
The cops wouldnt let us take the metro there so we went off to find a pub
That´s BASICALLY what happened[/quote]

[Jaime]

I'd say those kids have the courage of the Apostles!

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='jaime (the artist formerly known as hot stuff)' timestamp='1313968107' post='2292975']
I'd say those kids have the courage of the Apostles!
[/quote]


Definately. I am very touched by their faith and strength.

[Clare~Therese]

My priest gave a homily today that was partially about this. I was very moved by it.
May we be just as courageous as they were!
[b]Viva Cristo Rey! Viva Papa![/b]
I told my dad about this and he asked why the protesters protested. I said it was because they were anti-Catholic bigots. He wanted a further explanation than that, but as far as I know there isn't another explanation than that.

Edited August 21, 2011 by Clare~Therese

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='Lil Red' timestamp='1313965668' post='2292956']
an account ([url="http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/08/must-read-young-persons-account-harass-harassment-and-violence-at-wyd/"]via Fr. Z[/url]) of one of the girl's experiences:
[/quote]


[quote name='RezaMikhaeil' timestamp='1312518978' post='2281760']
At the end of the day, Atheists come out onto morally.
[/quote]
Indeed.

[LaPetiteSoeur]

I don't understand the protestors who get in everyone's face. Quite frankly, I think those that quietly witness, like the girls in the picture, get a better "rap" than the protestors. To be calm in the face of anger, that's quite a feat--and one I hope to be able to do one day! Prayers for that protestor; perhaps he will be transformed by their witness.

[BG45]

When I see pictures like that, combined with reports like that, I find that even if I were not Catholic, I would support the Catholics. I have no tolerance for fools or their agendas.

[CatherineM]

I guess my husband and I should go down and make out during the next gay pride parade. If that doesn't scare them all straight, I just don't know what will.

[Papist]

I do believe I found what to post on that right-hook thread.

[vee]

From Fr Zs article
[quote]

The boys were wearing their kilts so we got stopped for photos many times
One guy who stopped us said there was [b]an anti Catholic protest[/b] in Sol so [b]we went to check it out[/b]
[/quote]

To me this is like someone saying "hey there is a big fire" or "hey a rabid dog" and people going to see.

[quote]There was this [b]HUGE crowd [/b]of people so Seamus & Louise didn´t want to come check it out with us, they sat at a corner[/quote]

Good for the two that stayed behind because it seemed the others went to gawk and cause trouble. The police had the protestors blocked off so these kids knowingly went to an area of high tension and did something to provoke a reaction. Its not like they were praying first then the trouble started. I think these kids were dumb not heroes.

[MithLuin]

Yes, we were specifically told at the end of the Papal Welcome 'Do not go to Puerta del Sol.' They repeated it several times, in English and Spanish. World Youth Day was very much interested in keeping things from spiralling out of control and wished to avoid a confrontation.


My host family explained to me that the group of protestors 'took over' Puerta del Sol sometime this spring and made it their headquarters. They are anti-Catholic, but also anti- a lot of other things (anti-gov't, anti-G8, etc). I'm not sure if they're anarchists, but they certainly have no love for the pope and were upset that he was visiting Spain. Their excuse was the gov't spending money on it, but obviously inviting a bunch of foreigners into your country tends to infuse money into the economy, not hurt it (though this was likely nowhere near as profitable as hosting the Olympics or World Cup or something.)

This particular group is the type of in-your-face protestors who do not obey the instructions of the police, so fights breaking out and people getting arrested (or anti-riot techniques like tear gas being deployed) are not uncommon. Getting mixed up in the middle of that would be a mistake for anyone, but especially a foreigner who doesn't know what's going on. I make it a point *not* to get arrested in foreign countries, because you never know what will happen. These are not peaceful nonviolent protests.

I never saw them, because while I changed metros in Sol, I never went up to Puerta del Sol. The daughter of the family I was staying with (who was about 20) ran into them a couple of times and said she was very scared by them because she thought they were going to attack her. Also, she did have two lesbians kiss in front of her when her friends shouted back 'Viva!' to a 'Viva el Papa!' comment. Of course...she was walking through a park at 4 in the morning after the Via Crucis, so.....

Anyway, the protestors clearly need some prayers.