ROCKTON, Illinois (LifeSiteNews) — A pro-family Catholic activist and father recently shared with LifeSiteNews how prayer was powerful in pushing back against a library drag event.
Danniel Pribble knows how to stay strong in the face of adversity — he was attacked for both his advocacy of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) and for his pro-life work in the span of just two months.
Pribble told LifeSiteNews that prayer helped one group that he is involved with, the Rockford Family Initiative, force a drag event for teens online.
“The library was inundated with hundreds if not thousands of calls and emails from people upset with the event demanding that it be canceled,” Pribble said via a text message.
He said that over 250 people showed up outside of the board meeting with banners and signs and this “made a big impact in the small town of Rockton.”
“We had a megaphone and prayed six rosaries, sang hymns and even had a bagpiper and drummer [for] over two hours,” Pribble said in this text message. He said a priest from a local Latin Mass church attended with about 75 parishioners.
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Pribble provided further details in a blog post for the Rockford Family Initiative.
“It was a beautiful evening, as we begged for God’s mercy and intervention in our community. Inside, several Rockton residents expressed to the board their disgust and reasons why the event should be canceled,” he wrote about the June 26 protest. “However, the night ended on a sad note, as the library board cowardly voted to allow the event to go on.”
But then, “God intervened and heard our prayers,” Pribble wrote.
He continued:
A few days later, we received word that the library leadership had decided to CANCEL the in-person event! According to the library, this was due to the huge crowds expected during the event, which would create “an unmanageable situation for our very small downtown area.” In other words, the library canceled the event due to public pressure and specifically, public protest in the streets.”
“It was one more example that peaceful and prayerful protest WORKS!” Pribble wrote.
The group continued to protest, as a virtual event was still a partial loss. But moving it online “defeated the entire purpose of the event,” Pribble quoted “one of the pro-drag organizers” as saying.
“So we added an element of celebration and thanksgiving to God to our rally planning!”Pribble said.
“The events of the past few weeks culminated today, July 14, when hundreds of concerned citizens prayed and rallied in downtown Rockton again in defense of the innocence of children,” he shared. “We also celebrated the victory that God granted our community with the cancelation of the in-person drag event. Several speakers, including a local Catholic priest and a Lutheran pastor, delivered inspiring words and led us in prayer. We had two bagpipers, a local church choir, and about 200 joyful and hopeful people, both young and old.”
“[T]oday we are thankful to God for the graces He has mercifully granted our community,” Pribble said. “In particular, we are thankful for the ability to freely protest abominations like the drag event in Rockton. Our emails, calls, and above all presence in peaceful protest led to the cancelation of the in-person event.”
