St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral in New York City has received several bomb threats and arson threats since news leaked last week that the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn Roe v. Wade, the Rev. Brian Graebe told Fox News.
Graebe’s parish is one of a number of churches and pro-life organizations that have been targets of threats and violence amid abortion activists’ outrage about the Supreme Court.
Speaking Monday on America’s Newsroom, Graebe said St. Patrick’s has increased security in response to several threatening phone calls and a pro-abortion rally outside the church over the weekend.
“We have received a number of threats to bomb the church, burn it down,” Graebe said. “Very hateful and vile messages.”
The priest said they also had to make changes to their monthly Witness For Life Mass, a pro-life service followed by a procession to the near-by Planned Parenthood abortion facility for prayer.
Typically, Graebe said a few abortion activists show up to counter-protest. On Saturday, however, he said there were about 100 abortion activists outside, and police advised the church not to hold the procession because of the likelihood of violence.
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“They recognized many of the faces in the crowd as what they termed ‘professional agitators,’” Graebe told Fox News.
Even if Roe v. Wade is overturned, he said aborting unborn babies will remain legal in New York – at least for a while.
“We see that as a very unfortunate reality,” the priest continued. “And part of that awful unfolding that we saw Saturday outside of the Old Cathedral was really the celebration of death.”
Despite the hostility, Graebe said they will continue to pray and advocate for life “every month, rain or shine.”
Several churches have been vandalized with pro-abortion graffiti since the Supreme Court leak, including a Catholic church in Boulder, Colorado, another in Fort Collins, Colorado, the Catholic News Agency reports; and a third, the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Houston, Texas. A Tabernacle also was stolen from Saint Bartholomew Catholic Church in Katy, Texas.
Police are investigating arson at two pro-life organizations in Wisconsin and Oregon, as well as vandalism at several pro-life pregnancy centers. Pro-life advocates also have shared videos and reports of being assaulted by abortion activists at rallies and events.
Meanwhile, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, the author of the draft opinion, and his family were moved from their home to a secure location due to threats and potential violence.
Pro-life advocates are concerned about more violent attacks in the coming days.
Last week, two pro-abortion groups called for churches, especially Catholic Churches, to be the target of abortion activists’ outrage on Mother’s Day, with one urging activists to “rise up and raise hell!”
“The leaked draft memo that states the Supreme Court has struck down #RoeVWade is an ATROCITY but It is not yet law & doesn’t have to be, but what they plan to do & will do if WE don’t stop them. Rise up! & RAISE HELL!” the group Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights wrote on Twitter.
Abortion activists are trying to intimidate the Supreme Court justices to change their minds and uphold Roe after the leaked draft opinion showed the majority voting to overturn the infamous 1973 ruling. The draft is not final, judges can change their minds, and it is not clear when the high court will issue its final ruling on the abortion case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, but many believe the court will overturn Roe and allow states to protect unborn babies again.
Since 1973, more than 63 million unborn babies and hundreds of mothers have died in supposedly “safe, legal” abortions.
