“Glorify purity, not perversity!”

by Louis Raliga

Binghamton City Hall, New York, was the scene of a spiritual and psychological battle on June 4, 2010.

On one side of the street one could see the white and gold Papal flag in front of a group of forty Catholics including TFP members and led by ten friars in grey habits. Across the street in front of city hall, stood a hundred homosexual activists under the “Gay Pride” flag Mayor Matthew Ryan had just hoisted on equal level with the state and national flags.

Father Johannes Smith of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate led the group of forty in praying the Rosary and other prayers including several directed to Saint Michael the Archangel. As one friar held the Papal flag, another held a crucifix.

A large statue of Our Lady of Fatima also presided over the act of reparation. As they calmly prayed, several held signs such as, “Homosexuality is a disorder which needs to be treated and not applauded,” “Glorify purity, not perversity!” One mother held a sign stating “Every child has the right to a mother and a father.” Intermittent honks from passing motorists responded to a sign that said “Honk for Traditional Marriage!”

The contrast between the two groups was a sight to behold. On the one side, the homosexual activists affected agitated glee at official recognition and the symbolic triumph of hoisting their symbol, like a conqueror hoists his flag atop a conquered castle.

The ignoble gesture expresses, “We have forced society to accept sin and we are proud of it.” On the other side of the street, the atmosphere was one of serious and concerned sadness. The protestors prayed, above all, to console God and His Most Pure Mother for the insulting exaltation of vice. Father Smith kept up the prayers and led the singing of hymns.

Then he ended the almost two-hour vigil with the incensing of the crucifix and statue of Our Lady and words of encouragement and thanks to those who came out to stand up for purity and to make reparation for the sin of homosexuality.

These Catholics, some of whom are sidewalk counselors at the Binghamton abortion mill, are committed to return again to make reparation, as often as is necessary. One gentleman who stood and prayed in front of the homosexual activists had writing on the back of his shirt that summed up the charitable attitude of these “prayer warriors.” It said, “Friends don’t let friends go to hell.”

This was the fifth consecutive year Mayor Ryan dedicated June as “Gay Pride Month” and officially raised the homosexual symbol over the seat of local government. The first time was on June 2, 2006. Twenty-four days after that first flag-raising, torrential rains hit Binghamton causing historic flooding as the Susquehanna River broke its banks. Mandatory evacuation was forced on 15,000 residents while whole neighborhoods were covered in several feet of water.

In the words of one who came to make reparation at the 2010 event, “God came the first year, and we have come every year since to make reparation.”