Pro-life advocate Fr. Fidelis Moscinski stands firm despite legal setbacks in New Jersey, delivering a powerful message hours before his conviction. The Catholic priest’s unwavering defense of the unborn highlights the ongoing battle between religious liberty and abortion rights in America.
At a glance:
• Fr. Fidelis Moscinski was convicted of trespassing related to a 2019 “Red Rose Rescue” at a New Jersey abortion clinic
• The priest delivered a powerful pro-life speech outside the courthouse just hours before his conviction
• President Donald Trump previously pardoned 23 people convicted under the FACE Act, including some Red Rose Rescue participants
• The defendants entered the clinic to pray and offer roses with resource information to women considering abortion
• Fr. Moscinski cited the legal defense of “necessity,” arguing their civil disobedience was justified to save unborn lives
Standing Firm for Life Despite Legal Consequences
Fr. Fidelis Moscinski delivered an impassioned pro-life speech outside a New Jersey courthouse on March 14, 2025, just hours before being found guilty of trespassing. The Franciscan Friar of the Renewal was on trial with three others for their participation in a July 2019 “Red Rose Rescue” at a Morristown abortion facility.
The defendants entered the clinic offering roses and resources to women scheduled for abortions, refusing to leave when asked. “We’re witnessing to the truth that human life belongs to God. It’s sacred. And from the first moment of its existence, it deserves legal protection,” Fr. Moscinski declared in his courthouse speech.
Trump’s Pardons and the Pro-Life Movement
President Donald Trump previously pardoned 23 people convicted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, demonstrating his support for pro-life activism. William Goodman, one of the defendants in the New Jersey case, had been previously pardoned by Trump for similar activism.
Despite federal pardons, local prosecutions against pro-life advocates continue across the country. The trial in Morristown had been postponed twice, partly due to COVID-19 delays, before finally proceeding to a conviction.
“A ‘revolution of common sense’ has occurred in our nation. I am confident that all of us will be found not guilty,” Fr. Fidelis had optimistically stated before the trial’s conclusion, referencing changing attitudes toward life issues.
It’s worth asking: how did our societal attitude toward “abortion access” drive us so far that the legal system thinks that merely being present at a clinic offering prayers is worth a felony trespassing charge?
The Red Rose Rescue Movement Continues
The Red Rose Rescue movement, organized by Citizens for a Pro-Life Society based in Michigan, has conducted approximately 30 rescue operations since 2017. These peaceful interventions involve entering abortion facilities to offer women alternatives and spiritual support, often resulting in legal consequences for participants.
Fr. Moscinski and his fellow defendants maintained that their actions constituted a “justifiable necessity” to prevent the taking of innocent human life. They argued their civil disobedience was morally justified given what they believe is the urgent need to protect unborn children from abortion.
Legal challenges related to abortion facility access continue across the country, with the Supreme Court potentially considering cases related to “abortion bubbles” that affect protester proximity to clinics. The conviction in New Jersey highlights the ongoing tension between pro-life advocacy and legal restrictions on clinic protests.
