October 7, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – The archbishop of La Plata, Argentina, appointed by Pope Francis in 2018, is urging his flock not to counter-protest or defend local churches from a group of violent, pro-abortion feminists that attack Catholic churches every year during their national annual meeting.
In an article recently published by the Argentinean newspaper La Nación, Archbishop Victor Manuel “Tucho” Fernández told his flock not to do anything that could be interpreted as “resistance” to the tens of thousands of feminists who will come to the National Women’s Encounter in La Plata.
In particular, he does not wish them to defend local Catholic churches, which the feminists often attempt to set on fire, spray-paint with graffiti, or otherwise damage. He also asked Catholic women to confine their expressions of opinion to the “workshops” held by the rabidly anti-Christian feminists, or to stay at home and pray.
“I ask all Catholics to avoid any form of verbal aggression and any initiative that ends up being provocative,” wrote Fernández. “Catholic women can give their opinion in the workshops (of the feminists), or just pray at home. But during this time it’s not appropriate to engage in activities that, with the excuse of protecting churches, can be interpreted as a Christian ‘resistance.’”
“Those who protect the churches and other places will be government agencies that are organized to preserve public order,” added Fernández. “As archbishop of La Plata, I have made the commitment to seek to avoid any act, mobilization or expression that appears to be a counter-offensive, which would useless, ineffective, and imprudent.”
However, local police are often loath to intervene to prevent the violent behavior of the feminists, who seem to carry out their acts of vandalism and destruction with impunity, year after year, in different Argentinean cities. In previous years, Catholic laity have gathered around churches to defend them from the attackers, and have been attacked themselves by feminists screaming obscenities and hurling objects at them.
Archbishop dismisses concerns regarding violence, defends feminist agenda
The archbishop is dismissing concerns that the feminists, who rampage through the streets and attempt to set fire to churches and other buildings each year, would repeat the same behavior this year in his archdiocese, where they will be holding their annual meeting. He claimed that not all are pro-abortion, and defended their feminist agenda, calling their anger “understandable” in light of the “centuries of oppression” of women.
“There are people who are afraid, including members of the police forces, politicians and neighbors, as if a horde seeking vengeance and destruction were coming,” wrote Fernández in La Nación. “But they are women, of many colors, with different ways of defending their rights, and also with differences between them. What unifies them is the dream of a true equality, and their anger is understandable when we remember history, centuries of oppression, of humiliation, of dominating machismo, of violence.”
“Sometimes their reprimands are concentrated against the Church, which needs to be self-critical with regard to this subject, as it does in countless others,” Fernández added, accusing the Catholic Church of tolerating slavery and injustices against the indigenous of Latin America.
He then cited the example of Fray Bartolome de las Casas, a 16th century Catholic priest and favorite of socialist “liberation theologians” who defended the indigenous against abuses, and quoted the Marxist and atheist poet Pablo Neruda in his favor.
The archbishop recognizes that “It’s being said online that they are promising to burn and destroy,” but states that he is “sure that that majority wants to make itself heard peacefully, vindicating their legitimate right to protest. Those who want to cause damage and destroy do not represent the rest nor the great majority of the society.”
Long record of anti-Catholic violence, obscenity, and vandalism by feminist group
The feminists of the National Women’s Encounter and groups associated with the annual March for Women in Argentina have established a long and consistent record of anti-Catholic violence in cities where their meetings are held.
Earlier this year, at the annual March for Woman, berserk feminists threw gasoline bombs, paint bombs and rocks at Catholic churches.
In 2018, demonstrators from the National Women’s Encounter sought to set on fire the municipal building of Trelew in the province of Chubut, and spray-painted a Catholic church.
In 2017, crazed feminists from National Women’s Encounter attacked the cathedral church of the city of Resistencia, trying to set the doors on fire with burning trash, and pelting the building with paint, reddened tampons, and rocks, damaging a statue of the Virgin Mary. They spray-painted other buildings with such slogans as “Kill your father, your boyfriend, and your brother,” “Burn the pope,” “Abuser priests,” “Abort males,” “Death to males,” and “Kill your rapist.”
Also in 2017, feminists from the International Women’s Day march tried to burn the cathedral in Buenos Aires, where they also assaulted a lone man who was defending the structure, and spray-painted at least one government building.
In 2015, the National March for Women marchers tore down the outer gate of the cathedral of Mar de Plata, and threw glass bottles and excrement at the Catholics standing guard around the structure. The police finally intervened when they tried to set the cathedral on fire.
In recent years, the Argentinean feminists have sought to export their methods of protests to other countries, including Spain, Uruguay, and Mexico.
In Mexico, during August and September, several violent feminist protests were held in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and other major cities. Although the number of feminists involved was much less than in Argentina, the women attempted to set at least two buildings on fire in Mexico City, including the national cathedral, where they tried to burn the gates protecting the building.
Archbishop 'Tucho' Fernández famous for 'ghostwriting' Amoris laetitia
Archbishop Fernández , a close personal friend and adviser of Pope Francis, is believed to be the inspiration of key passages in Pope Francis' encyclical letter Amoris laetitia, which is accused of teaching heresy regarding second “marriages” of couples already sacramentally married to someone else, and of seeking to justify giving communion to such couples. As a result, he has been called “the pope’s ghostwriter.”
Fernández is also famous for his authorship of a highly suggestive and sensual book called “Healing with your mouth: The art of kissing.”
He was named Archbishop of La Plata by Pope Francis in 2018, in a sudden move in which the previous archbishop, a conservative prelate named Héctor Aguer who is reputed not to have Francis’ favor, was suddenly removed from office and ordered to leave the archdiocese immediately so that Fernández could replace him.