Auxiliary Bishop Francis Garmendia addresses the crowd

Hundreds of Catholics gathered and prayed in front of the Brooklyn Museum of Art to express their outrage at an exhibit they considered blasphemous. The controversy centers around two portrayals of Jesus Christ now on display as "art" at the museum. Press reports describe them as a photo of a nude woman standing in Jesus' place at the Last Supper and another of a topless woman on a cross. (Daily News Express, 2/15/01; Reuters, 2/15/01).

The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) and its affiliate campaign America Needs Fatima coordinated the April 21 rally of peaceful protest and reparation.

Thirteen states were represented in the crowd which police estimated at one thousand. "Blasphemy is not limited to Brooklyn," said campaign director Robert E. Ritchie as he spoke to the crowd. "Catholics across the country are looking at all of us here today to stem the epidemic of blasphemy that threatens to sweep the nation."

Blasphemy Not Just a Local Issue

For over a month, TFP and America Needs Fatima supporters nationwide have sent thousands of protest emails to the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Emails of encouragement went to Mayor Rudolph Giuliani for trying to avoid future blasphemies by working to establish decency standards for museums receiving public money.

The American TFP later sent hundreds of thousands of printed protest postcards to its nationwide volunteer anti-blasphemy network. Similar efforts involving millions of fliers met with great success when the same network protested against the play Corpus Christi and the movie Dogma.

Rally Says No to Blasphemy!

Fr.Andrew Apostoli: "Catholics care!"

The Saturday afternoon rally opened with a solemn entrance of a statue of Our Lady of Fatima amid Marian hymns. Bishop Francis Garmendia, an auxiliary bishop of New York City, began the rally by crowning the statue and leading a rosary. Speakers like Fr. John Trigilio and Fr. Andrew Apostoli addressed the crowd and applauded efforts to combat blasphemy. A representative from the Family Research Council, Scott Rich, also offered words of support

"This protest in Brooklyn is truly inspiring since it represents those committed Catholics willing to rally around Our Lord and His Blessed Mother when they are so callously attacked," said TFP Vice President Thomas J. McKenna, addressing the crowd that stretched far down the street before him. Banners, signs, and pictures made the Saturday afternoon protest particularly visible off Eastern Parkway.

"We live in a culture of death," said Fr. Trigilio. "But we also live in a culture of filth. We have come here to ask for decency back."

Letters and prayers

Many from across the country who could not attend the rally promised their prayers and sacrifices. Inspiring letters of support were received from Francis Cardinal George of Chicago, Cardinal Luis Aponte, Archbishop Emeritus of San Juan (PR), Archbishop Elden Curtiss of Omaha, Archbishop Michael Sheehan of Santa Fe (NM), Miami Archbishop Emeritus Edward McCarthy, Bishop James Sullivan of Fargo (ND), and others.

Were it not for a trip to Rome, Cardinal Aponte lamented, "I would most certainly join your reparation protest rally on April 21, but I shall definitely be with you in spirit and prayer."

Senator Bob Smith (R-NH) wrote that "it is honorable and dedicated people like you that provide America with hope for the future." Congressman Joseph R. Pitts(R-PA) described the exhibit as "disgusting and insulting." He continued: "It is time to stop funding blasphemy at the expense of American families' tax dollars."

"This is, sadly not the first time that the Museum has lent itself to such outrageous use." wrote Kenneth Connor, president of the Family Research Council. "We will pray for the success of your peaceful demonstration."

"You are awakening the conscience of society that has all too easily accepted Catholic-bashing," wrote Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life. "I applaud the protest you engage in today, to make reparation for the insults and blasphemies to which our Faith continues to be subject."

Enough is Enough

Many of any of those in the crowd received invitations from volunteers who passed them out in the streets of New York City or after Sunday Mass. In addition, the TFP took out ads announcing the event in five local diocesan newspapers, Brooklyn's Tablet, Catholic New York, The Long Island Catholic, Newark's Catholic Advocate and Patterson's Catholic Beacon. The American TFP has also mobilized its newly formed student action network to send in protests against the display.

"The reason I am here is because if nobody protests, people are going to say Catholic don't care," commented Fr. Apostoli. "They do care and the proof is here before me."

Amid the growing number of blasphemies eroding the Faith, events like these at the Brooklyn Museum of Art help Catholics stands firm in the cultural fray. Nothing so discourages blasphemy than to see millions of Catholics rise up in defense of the honor of Jesus, Mary, and the Church, and to proclaim that enough is enough with a resolute "No!" to blasphemy.