A Franciscan friar was hit with federal charges Thursday for a July protest at a Planned Parenthood building on Long Island.
Christopher Moscinski, also known as Father Fidelis, had been sentenced to 90 days in jail in August on state charges that he interfered with women entering a Westchester County clinic.
Moscinski is a member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, according to the New York Post.
He was charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, according to a Justice Department news release.
“As alleged in the complaint, at 6:22 a.m. on July 7, Moscinski, a Franciscan friar, arrived at the health center wearing civilian garb. He fastened several padlocks and bicycle locks to the gated entrance of the health center, rendering the entrance impassable.”
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“Some of the locks had glue poured into them. After police and fire department personnel arrived at the health center and cut the padlocks, Moscinski returned to the scene wearing a religious robe, and laid his body in front of the gate, blocking vehicles from entering the health center’s parking lot until he was arrested by officers from the Hempstead Police Department,” the release said.
First-time convictions of the FACE Act are misdemeanors that can be punished by up to a year in federal prison.
Moscisnki was one of three men convicted on charges they prevented women from entering the All Women’s Medical Clinic in White Plains in November 2021, according to the New York Post.
Red Rose Rescue, a religious group, posted comments Moscinksi made during his sentencing on its Facebook page.
Should Moscinski be found guilty on these charges?
“Isaiah said woe to those who call good evil and evil good. Woe to those who call abortion a right,” he said, according to the post.
The post said he told the judge, “You disallowed the justification defense and that injustice was compounded by the jury and also by the sentencing you have given, I plead the blood of Jesus on this courtroom.”
In reply, the post said the judge told him, “You quoted judgment day in your case and today is your judgment day.”
Moscinski issued a statement after his arrest in July, according to LifeSite News.
“It was foreseen that this would allow greater opportunity to speak to abortion-seeking mothers and offer them viable, life-affirming alternatives to abortion,” he said in the statement.
Moscinski took issue with comments by Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“We have recently been told by Gov. Hochul that in New York abortion remains ‘safe, legal and accessible, False,” he said in the statement.
“Abortion is never safe — it always causes the destruction of an innocent human being and gravely harms the psychological and spiritual health of the mother. Abortion is never legal — it is totally contrary to Natural and Divine Law; not only is it not a constitutional right, no legislature can ever legally sanction willful murder,” he said.
Moscinski also issued a call for action.
#FBI charges pro-life priest Fr. Fidelis Moscinski with violating the FACE act one week after #MarkHouck raid. https://t.co/Op9rvCzfuO
— Michael Haynes ?? ?? (@MLJHaynes) September 30, 2022
“Planned Parenthood must be immediately defunded, shut down, and prosecuted. Now is the time for pro-life New Yorkers to work for the repeal of the Reproductive Health Act and for the passage of legislation that will protect the right to life of unborn children,” he said.
“Now is the time for all of us to publicly repent of the sin of abortion and seek the forgiveness of a Merciful God. After the time of repentance has passed, we will face the inevitable judgment of Almighty God,” he said.
