NEW YORK October 23, 2001 (LSN.ca) – Roman Catholic priest, Father Norman Weslin. O.S. was sentenced by U.S. Federal Judge Richard Arcara to 5 months in federal prison Friday for “criminal” contempt in Buffalo Federal Court. The priest was guilty of kneeling in silent prayer in full priestly vestments inside a “60’ Banned Free Speech and Religious Expression Zone” set up by Judge Acara outside an abortuary.
Father Weslin, a 71-year-old retired Lt. Colonel in the United States Army who was in charge of the nuclear defense of New York State, voluntarily turned himself in but was not put in prison immediately since he may be of service to the country in the war on terrorism. The Pentagon is considering honoring Fr. Weslin’s offer to be sent to Afghanistan as a military chaplain serving the US troops.
Although Fr. Weslin was convicted and sentenced, US Marshals in the court refused to take the priest into custody. “As of today Fr. Weslin is free” Mary E. Quinn of New York Lambs for Christ told LifeSite.
Buffalo News reported on the story October 19.