Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, today assured the pro-life movement that his full-time work to end abortion will not be deterred in any way by the continued efforts of some in the hierarchy to “cancel him,” or even by a Vatican decision to strip him of the priesthood to which he has been devoted for more than 34 years.
“Some in the Church have been trying to silence my voice for 20 years. It will not work.
“This is not just an attack on me, but an effort by forces both inside and outside the Church to intimidate every courageous pro-life priest and lay activist.” Father Pavone said. “We see this in the arrests of pro-life advocates and the lack of response from law enforcement in more than 100 attacks against pro-life organizations. We see this in when some religious leaders provide cover for pro-abortion politicians like Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi. And we see it when some priests who violate canon law and also break civil law are supported while others, including myself, are chastised and ostracized for working to protect the unborn.
“Ultimately, this is about how the Church will respond to abortion, and whose view of this battle will hold sway in the Catholic Church and beyond. It’s about whom the Church wants to punish: Pro-abortion politicians or pro-life priests. It’s about whom the Church wants to abort: Babies in the womb, or priests who defend them.”
In a broadcast from Saturday night, Father Frank addressed accusations that he has been “blasphemous.”
“That is just the latest of a long list of excuses some bishops like to use to attack me. How about we focus on what my ministry and I have been doing for three decades: Helping parishes provide alternatives to abortion, overseeing the world’s largest ministries for healing after abortion and training clergy to promote that healing, leading abortionists back to Christ, leading prayer campaigns to end abortion and prayer vigils at abortion facilities, providing pro-life books and seminars to dioceses free of charge, educating and inspiring pro-life activists in person and through broadcasting with the latest arguments and information, and electing pro-life candidates to every office from President to City Council.”
“To those who want to cancel me, I ask, to which of these works do you object?
“And to those who support this work in the Church, I renew my gratitude.”
Father Frank still has not received official notification from the Vatican about his reported laicization. But Fr. Frank rejected the idea that there is “no possibility of appeal.”
“Of course there is. I am appealing to the People of God, who are becoming wiser to all that is going on and who will be the judges of whether the work my 50-person team at Priests for Life and I do is worthy of support or not. I have made an irrevocable commitment to defend the unborn and to be a priest. I will not walk away from either one.”
To learn more about the way Father Frank has been treated by some in the Church, see FrFrankPavone.com and https://www.priestsforlife.org/library/9624-fr-frank-comments-on-latest-developments
Since the story first surfaced Saturday night, there has been a huge outpouring of support for Father Frank on social media.
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