
Father Fidelis Moscinski, a pro-life activist and Franciscan priest, was released from a prison in Washington, D.C., this week.
He was serving time in jail for participating in an event for Red Rose Rescue, an anti-abortion group that tries to prevent abortions by entering clinics and private medical facilities and then refusing to leave the premises until law enforcement officials physically remove them.
Members of the group say they are doing peaceful work. They hand out red roses to expectant mothers who are in the clinics and facilities, which symbolizes that they are life and that life is precious.
The friar from Brooklyn was released from prison Monday after spending three months in prison for violating a probation order against him when he took part in a Red Rose Rescue a few years ago.
In announcing that Moscinski was released, Monica Migliorino Miller, who serves as the Citizens for a Pro-Life Society’s director, said:
“In what sense did he ‘violate’ the probation — after being sentenced with probation in the D.C. rescue, he bravely defended unborn children in two other rescues — April 23, 2022, in Michigan — and July 2022 at a Planned Parenthood in New York. God bless you Father Fidelis!”
Miller herself has participated in multiple Red Rose Rescues with Moscinski in the past. She spoke highly of him recently to LifeSiteNews, commenting:
“What can one say, but that Father Fidelis witness to the unborn is extraordinary. He willingly continue to rescue the unborn with his ‘one man’ rescue at the Planned Parenthood in New York, and the Red Rose Rescue he did with us in April 2022 here in Michigan, knowing that he may be incarcerated for ‘violating’ his sentence of probation for his Red Rose Rescue in D.C.
“Yes, probation was revoked and he served months in jail instead. His commitment to the cause of life should inspire others to defend those innocent ones being led to the slaughter.”
On many other occasions, Moscinski has been arrested for similar incidents and actually spent time in jail as well. Despite having to serve behind bars again, he said that he was “grateful” that he had the opportunity to minister to other inmates while he was in jail.
As he said following his release:
“It was a great privilege as a priest to try to bring the light and hope of Jesus Christ into these places.”
He called the actions that the government took against him both “criminal and unjust,” especially as the pro-lifers who do the work are just trying to save innocent lives.
Moscinski further called for greater penance and prayer for the “conversion and healing” of people who have either had abortions in the past or advocate them today.
Abortion has always been a controversial issue, but was thrown front and center in people’s minds once the Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling nearly two years ago now.