A church in the Windy City made headlines this past weekend, but it wasn’t because Barack Obama attended Mass there. Six people interrupted Easter Sunday services at Holy Name in Chicago by protesting the war in Iraq.

The group of three men and three women called themselves Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War, which the Web site of the Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice describes as a “humorous, political street theatre group.” The members of the group stood up during Cardinal Francis George’s homily and started shouting anti-war statements before splattering fake blood over themselves and worshippers. As they were removed by security, the protesters shouted, “Even the Pope is for peace!”

Indeed, he is. And so is Cardinal George, according to a statement given to the Chicago Tribune after the incident. However, according to reports, the group chose Holy Name because the cardinal met with President Bush in January as well as the amount of publicity they expected to receive from the stunt.

Bravo, Schoolgirls.

Bravo for disrupting one of the most important Christian services of the year. Bravo for traumatizing children and worshippers who, for all you knew, could have been opposed to the war already. And a huge ovation for releasing an unknown red substance in an enclosed room of 600 people, who, for all you knew, could have panicked and caused injury or death.

Frankly, saying that the church was an inappropriate location to protest is an understatement. Churches should be places where a certain amount of respect and decorum is displayed. While politics can sometimes seep into the altar, places of worship should not be used as a stage for protests.

While there is nothing wrong with disagreeing with the war in Iraq and demonstrating that disagreement through protests, activists should not try to anger those they wish to convert to their cause, especially in a religious setting. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas have found this out as they have protested the funerals of American soldiers as punishment for what they call God’s anger at America’s tolerance for homosexuality.

Even though members of the Chicago group are being held on charges of property defacement and simple battery, they were successful in three things: making an Easter Sunday spectacle, ruining carpet and seating with fake stage blood and damaging the credibility of those who choose to demonstrate in a more effective manner.

This theatre group’s performance can best be described in the words of Chicago film critic (and Daily Illini alumnus) Roger Ebert: Two thumbs down.