It is one thing to believe in the Truth, it is another to act upon it
Deacon Nick Donnelly has written an excellent two-part article entitled "Fighting Apostasy", and published originally in the Catholic Voice, a vibrant, new Irish publication. Highly recommended. Rev. Mr. Donnelly's article was then re-published by Church Militant. Deacon Donnelly rightly identifies the growing pressure to force Catholics and Christians to de facto commit apostasy. Decades of treachery from the inside, and cowardly responses have had an effect.
Rev. Mr. Donnelly wrote in Part One there is "constant pressure to apostatize"; not only as a Catholic who surrenders to practical atheism, but also from the opposite extreme of falling prey to disillusion following the chaos and confusion during and in the wake of the Synod of the Family.
Deacon Nick gives us examples of hope: he points out to us a number of Christian souls who are not interested in silent compromise, in going along to get along. He points out to us a number of prophetic resisters to evil. One such voice, is our own sister in Christ, Linda Gibbons. Along with Mary Wagner, she offers the ultimate Gospel of Life resistance in the face of the greatest evil of all: abortion. For their resistance to evil, they now dwell in jail, awaiting trial by the Canadian State. Much of this evil - let us be honest - has been brought about by - if not actual betrayal - cowardice and compromise. Evil does not compromise.
These brave resisters to evil, that Rev. Nick presents to us as role models, do not compromise with evil, they face it down: even unto martyrdom. One thing we have to awaken to: we are living in a re-play of the ancient persecution of Christians during the Roman Empire. The difference between then and now, is the ancient Church knew Her enemy and responded accordingly. Today, most believe Caesar is a friend, or, at the least, believe an accommodation can be worked out. Foolish, foolish delusions. Evil does not accommodate, evil consumes.
From Part Two:
Linda Gibbons is a 67-year-old great-grandmother of two who is Canada's longest serving prisoner of conscience. Linda has spent in total 11 years in prison for praying outside abortion industry killing centers. Not only has she sacrificed her freedom for unborn babies, she has also lost her employment with the Canadian military, and her home. Unable to get work for the past 20 years and denied social security, Linda is entirely dependent on the pro-life movement.
Linda is currently held in the Vanier Center for Women in Milton, Ontario, awaiting trial without parole for peacefully witnessing outside a baby-killing center with the poster "Why, Mom, when I have so much love to give?" Linda's "crime" is breaking a so-called "bubble zone" law that prohibits pro-life witness outside abortion centers. Toronto Catholic Witness reports that Linda walked quietly, without speaking, holding a life-sized model of a tiny 10-week-old baby for two hours outside the Morgentaler killing center. For this, the great-grandmother was arrested, handcuffed, charged and booked in the local police station. She was charged with "impeding, interfering with, blocking and obstructing" clinic patients; "distracting" or "attempting to distract" or otherwise "interrupting" the business of the clinic; "supporting or condoning" actions that might interrupt the business. But as the National Post newspaper observed: "I think you'd be hard-pressed to conclude Gibbons did any of that. She walked her solitary path in front of the entrance; she didn't chant, sing or pray; she didn't stop anyone."
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