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Planned Parenthood's new "flagship" abortion center at 1225 4th St. NE.Claire Chretien / LifeSiteNews

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 13, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) – More than 20 religious leaders “blessed” Planned Parenthood's new mega abortion facility in the nation's capital on Tuesday.

Organized by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, the event featured abortionist Willie Parker, Christian leaders, a Reform Jewish rabbi, an openly gay imam via Skype, Hindu priests, and liturgical dance. 

The CEO of the giant abortion center, which opened in September, said these “blessings” confirm “the sacredness of the work we do.”

“Women have been made to think that this [clinic] is some evil place, where God is not,” said Parker. He said pro-lifers are “cursing [women] for making sacred decisions” and “our answer to the curse is to bless.”

Rabbi Michael Namath of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism asked, “God, let your spirit rest upon these caregivers, who serve as instruments of your hands.”

The Hindu priests were from Maryland and recited a prayer to give a “good vibration to the building.”

“What these religious leaders are doing is part of a pattern that one can see documented in the actions of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice,” Priests for Life National Director Father Frank Pavone told LifeSiteNews via email. “Essentially, this is an example of using the Lord's name in vain – when we ask is a blessing upon something he abhors.”

“No place in the Bible do we see God blessing evil,” said Priests for Life's Father Stephen Imbarrato. “On the contrary, God destroys the world when it becomes evil and Sodom and Gomorrah because of their evil. Thus there is nothing biblical about these religious leaders blessing a place where babies die and women are wounded.”

“The blessing of this national headquarters by these religious leaders is a reminder that we live in a country that is in denial that [thousands] of unborn babies are being killed each day,” said Imbarrato.

According to Planned Parenthood, the work it does allows women to “have life and have it abundantly.” The biblical reference is dripping with irony, given that Planned Parenthood's core work is destroying, not giving or helping, life.

“The bottom line is that it is NOT the authority of a church – any church – that makes abortion right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable,” said Pavone. “Abortion is what it is, and is always wrong. If any church authority approves or tolerates of it, that church authority is a false prophet and should not be followed.” 

Imbarrato said he has blessed the Planned Parenthood in a very different, Catholic way: he has blessed the perimeter of it, asking God to close the facility.

“I plan on doing a more extensive blessing next week,” he said. 

The Archdiocese of Washington has organized a Mass for Life and a large rosary walk in response to the construction of this Planned Parenthood. 

National pro-life leaders including Troy Newman, David Bereit, Lauren Handy, and Father Frank Pavone will lead a protest at the DC Planned Parenthood the morning of January 26, the day before the March for Life.