We are lay Catholics, coming from all parts of Italy and from all over the world. We are participating in this demonstration either individually or as representatives of associations and journalistic groups united by love for the Church, her doctrine, and her institutions. We are gathered for this event under the name Acies Ordinata, a title which the Tradition of the Church reserves for the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, who gathers together the army of her faithful ones and scatters her enemies: terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata (Song of Songs 6:3,9). As children of the Church Militant, we are here to profess publicly our Catholic faith, but also to break down the wall of silence: the sepulchral silence of the Pastors of the Church in the face of an unprecedented doctrinal and moral crisis.

The Church of San Silvestro in Capite here in this piazza contains the relic of the head of Saint John the Baptist. The Precursor of the Messiah was reduced to silence by Herod, but his mute tongue continues to speak to our hearts. We are standing, in a respectful and ordered manner, to express symbolically the resistance of those who do not give in before silence. We are holding in our hands the Holy Rosary, and we are reading texts of the Catholic Tradition, because we fortify our resistance with prayer and study, convinced that only by recollection can one be prepared for action.

The summit of the presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences of the world, which opens this Thursday, February 21 in the presence of the Holy Father, is an historic occasion to confront not only the theme of the sexual abuse of minors but also the them of moral corruption, which includes every violation of divine and natural law, beginning with the terrible plague of homosexuality.

We are appealing to the silent bishops, asking that some of them may have the courage to break their silence. Will there be any Pastor who will dare to speak the truth to the Holy Father? The Church does not fear the Truth, because the Church announces to the world the Truth of her Head and Founder, Jesus Christ. And it is above all to Him that we address our symbolic action today, asking that in these calamitous times, He may come to the aid of our weakness and with one single Word save the Church.

Domine ne sileas (Ps 34:22) O Lord, do not be silent!