Protest works: Belgian Catholics have successfully stopped a blasphemous performance!
A blasphemous play was scheduled to be staged in Havelange, Belgium. The production, entitled “Madonna (non) grata”, mocked the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thanks to fierce opposition from a group of steadfast Catholics, the play has been cancelled, and the organisers have since apologised.
Blasphemy against the Mother of God
The website of the cultural centre that runs this theatre states:
“A creature straddling the boundary between the divine and the human; virgin and [expletive], sacred and decaying. Locked away on her altar for an eternity, she is called the Morning Star, the Immaculate Conception, the Queen conceived without original sin. But her altar is now a temple of mould.”
Catholics are resisting
The faithful did not leave this attack on their Blessed Mother and their Faith unanswered. Several local parishioners, together with Mrs Marguerite-Marie Verbeke, launched a petition demanding the event’s cancellation. This petition was published on Cathobel, the news source for French-speaking Catholics in Belgium, and it proved extremely successful. It soon became clear that this sacrilege had to be stopped, come what may.
Empty excuses and a feeble rebuttal
In the end, the play was cancelled, but not without a struggle. In a press release, the organisers state the following:
“First of all, we would like to apologise to those who felt offended by the image and the words the company had chosen to present their performance – an image and words that we had adopted. We do not see this as offensive in any way. And if some people did feel offended, that was not our intention, nor that of the invited artists.”
Although they have apologised, they show little genuine understanding of the gravity of their actions, since the blasphemous image is still online. Nevertheless, this cancellation is a significant victory for the honour of the Blessed Virgin.
Furthermore, the organisation is attempting to cast itself in the role of victim. It has adopted the title of ‘defenders of free speech’ and is trying to portray the petition’s organisers as extremists who send threatening emails. However, no evidence is provided to support this claim. Further on in the press release, they state the following:
“Nevertheless, we strongly condemn (…) the nostalgic call for a return to the legal ban on blasphemy that we have seen in some reports. We are concerned about what appears to be the launch of a campaign of intimidation.”
However they may choose to portray it, there can and must be no place in society for blasphemy or sacrilege! Catholics will continue to take action to protect God, His Holy Church and the Blessed Virgin.
The creative minority
Throughout history, we have seen how creative minorities have taken matters into their own hands and triumphed. Just think of David and Goliath: a single stone proved enough to bring down the giant.
This success in Havelange underlines the crucial importance of acting. A small parish stood up to the secular powers that once again sought to unleash sacrilege and blasphemy upon society. But the parish resolutely said “No!” and launched a petition. Their faith and determination proved stronger than the organisation’s hatred. And with the grace of God, they were successful.