BIELLA, Italy, July 28, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) – Despite vocal opposition, a notorious Italian abortionist was allowed to speak at a Catholic parish on Wednesday, while pro-life critics were locked out, silenced or kicked out.

Despite her abortion advocacy, Emma Bonino was praised by Pope Francis in 2016 as a “forgotten great” because of her work with refugees.

Between her abortion activism and being an abortionist herself, Bonino is directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths of roughly six million Italian babies between 1968 and today.

On Wednesday, she gave a presentation on immigration at the Church of San Defendente in San Rocco di Cossato, part of in the Diocese of Biella in northern Italy.

The parish priest, Father Mario Marchiori, gave the green light on the presentation that was sponsored by the local division of Caritas Italiana, part of the Church’s international aid and humanitarian organization. The diocesan bishop, Gabriele Mana, was silent about the event.

National Catholic Register’s Ed Pentin reports he was unable to get comment from the bishop’s office. Although Catholics had communicated concerns to the bishop, it was said he did not agree with the decision to allow Bonino to speak, but he did not want to take sides. Neither did the bishop act to deter Caritas from putting on the event.

Emma Bonino, just after receiving 2015 Pursuit of Peace award from one of the world's leading enemies of life, family and faith - George Soros.

Bonino had an illegal abortion at a young age and reportedly worked with a high-volume abortion organization. She herself took part in performing illegal abortions with a crude homemade device, something documented in photographs.

After evading arrest abroad she was jailed for 10 days before being acquitted. Bonino then entered politics as a leftist activist and would rise to be appointed Italy’s foreign minister in 2013.

Bonino has worked to liberalize Italian divorce laws, legalize recreational drugs, ban a national nuclear energy program, and has promoted nudism, same-sex “marriage,” transgenderism, the abolition of the armed forces, disbanding of NATO, the liberalization of porn laws, and mandatory sex education.

Bonino’s appearance at the parish was part of events observing World Refugee Day 2017.

Bonino has recently taken up the cause of mass migration to Italy from Africa and the Middle East.

More than 500,000 migrants have entered Italy in the last three years. The issue is heated in part because of the strain placed on local services.

Bonino contends this migration is necessary for Italy’s survival due to the low Italian birthrate.

Pope Francis has praised Bonino’s work for refugees, stating, “She is the person who understands Africa best. And she has offered the best service to Italy through understanding Africa.”

Bonino supports a liberal migration policy and promoted reversing 2002 legislation tightening Italy’s immigration laws in her talk Wednesday at the Catholic church.

She claimed in her speech that the world is overpopulated because of “poverty in Africa, where they are having children because they are poor” while Italy is facing “demographic decline.”

The comment drew an interruption from a pro-life activist who took issue with her statement, Pentin reports, and got himself kicked out.

“I merely said out loud that, with her abortion choices, she is among those responsible for the population decline,” Alberto Cerutti told Intelligonews, “at which point I was forcibly escorted out of the church.”

Two other Catholics also spoke out during Bonino’s appearance. Leandro Aletti, a gynecologist, and Giorgio Celsi from pro-life group “Ora et labora,” were drowned out with boos and whistles.

A group of protesters praying the Rosary outside the church were questioned by police and asked for their identification. Organizers are said to have kept the church doors closed tightly during Bonino’s talk to prevent the sound of prayer from entering the church.

Aletti told Bonino that it was “absurd” to hear her arguments on immigration “from someone who does not accept our children,” according to Italian newspaper La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana.

Bonino’s response was that these were old arguments that didn’t “scare” her.

“I remain convinced of individual freedom,” she said, “no one can tell you what to do, everyone chooses for themselves.”

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