Ideologies are prepared to collide in Topeka, Kansas as religious groups prepare to push back against a Satanic group’s planned “Black Mass.” A satanic group, named “The Satanic Grotto,” has scheduled the mass to take place at the state Capitol on March 28^th. A Black Mass intentionally parodies the traditional Catholic mass by incorporating satanic symbols. A petition against the event quoted the event, saying, “Join us at the Topeka Capitol building in Kansas as we dedicate the grounds and our legislature to the glory of Satan. We will be performing rites to the Black Mass and indulging in sacrilegious blaspheme [sic]. God will fall and Kansas will be embraced by the black flame of Lucifer.” The Grotto’s founder and lead organizer, Michael Stewart, stated the event is in response to religious groups’ perceived attacks against religious freedom and abortion rights. “This is a specific response to our legislatures continuing to pander to groups like the Kansas Catholic Conference and to Kansans for life, where they keep trying to come back and attack abortion rights, much less other rights. I mean, Catholics are calling in this saying that blasphemy is not freedom of speech,” he said.

Kansas governor Laura Kelly released a statement that while she condemns the mass, she believes freedom of speech requires her to permit the event. “I have been informed about concerns regarding an event at the Statehouse on March 28, and I share those concerns.  There are more constructive ways to protest and express disagreements without insulting or denigrating sacred religious symbols,” she said. “However, as governor, I also have a duty to protect protesters’ constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression, regardless of how offensive or distasteful I might find the content to be.” She stated her office had “limited authority” in its response. However, in an attempt to appease outraged religious groups, she has moved the event from inside the Capitol to outside, something the Grotto has pushed back against, stating the change may “infringe on our constitutional rights.” “The Grotto board of leadership has come to a decision. We will perform our ritual inside the Capitol inside our legally permanent space, regardless of Governor Kelly’s orders. Governor Kelly will have to have the capital (sic) police arrest us. We will be changing the mission of our event tonight to reflect this,” Stewart said.

TFP Student Action is planning a rosary rally as a counter protest the same day of the planned Black Mass. “We will be joined by God-fearing Americans from all over the country. This protest is not just about Kansas — this is a fight for the soul of America,” Jon Paul Fabrizio, a spokesperson for TFP, told The Christian Post. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, has taken legal action against The Satanic Grotto, filing a motion for the return of a consecrated host and consecrated wine the group claims to have stolen. The motion refers to posts on Reddit allegedly by Stewart where he claims to have secured the consecrated items. The motion also states that Stewart also confirmed he had the consecrated items during a March 8 phone call with Gerald “Chuck” Weber Jr., the executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference. “Archbishop Naumann, as the Archbishop of the Archdiocese, is the proper person to seek recovery of such property within the geographic territory of the Archdiocese,” the petition stated. He stated that the value of the wine and host is “incalculable.”