Until now.
A while back, I had subscribed to the Priest For Life email service, and yesterday I received an email from them, signed by Fr. Pavone. Here's how it started:
I’m writing to thank you for your prayers, to urge you to remain steadfast in your resolve to end abortion, and to give you an update on my situation with Bishop Zurek.This email has "slimy" all over it.
Even as you read this I am praying for and working toward a speedy resolution of my current situation. In obedience to my bishop, I am carrying on with our shared pro-life mission from a convent here in Amarillo.
My only real fear right now is what might be going through your mind at this time regarding me and Priests for Life. That’s because of all the misinformation and outright attacks on me and Priests for Life that are taking place right now.
All I can tell you is that just about everything you’re reading or hearing is false. All of it.
Of course, you can dispel my fear that you might be taken in by these false accusations by clicking here. and making as large a contribution to Priests for Life as you can … whether it be for $15, $150 or $15,000. (bold original, and I removed the link)
So what he's saying is, in order to dispel HIS fears that I might be taken in by false accusations (by whom? where? everything not issued by PFL or Fr. Pavone might be a "false accusation"?), I have to donate money to PFL?? And if I don't, I've somehow been duped? I'm sorry, Father, but my wallet is closed to PFL from now on. I have no use for shuckster-ish shameless begging for donations as a means to drum up "support" for a particular position. It's bad enough politicians resort to such tactics - but for priests?
Oh - and the letter went downhill from there:
But rather than ask you to simply take my word for it, I thought you would appreciate reading a letter we received from the Most Reverend Roger W. Gries, O.S.B., Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland. As you’ll see when you click on the link below …There's more to the letter, but you get the general drift.
… it’s addressed to you as a “Supporter of Priests for Life.”
Two things that you’ll want to pay special attention to in Bishop Gries’ letter are:
1. That Bishop Gries wrote his letter on September 19 … ten days after my bishop wrote to him.
2. This paragraph from the middle of his letter: “Please keep Father Pavone in your prayers. He is currently facing some difficult days as he negotiates with his bishop. The work he had done since founding Priests for Life must continue as we face the future. Please continue to support Priests for Life.”
I encourage you to click here and read Bishop Gries’ letter.
And as you do, please keep in mind that his words of encouragement are not the only ones to come my way. Another one who is free to go public with his endorsement is Ray Flynn, the former mayor of Boston and U.S. Ambassador to The Holy See. Here’s the short note he sent me:
“I want you to know that in my opinion, nobody speaks more effectively and as passionately for the unborn as you do. We are very fortunate to have such a strong and committed pro-life voice as you. Please God, continue to give Fr. Frank Pavone the courage to lead us in this critical life issue. We will pray for you and support you in the years ahead.”
Regrettably, due to the sensitive and private nature of my situation with Bishop Zurek, I cannot reveal the names of others who’ve contacted me or repeat their kind words. But I can tell you that I’ve had numerous positive conversations with many bishops in the past several days. To a man, they all want my situation with Bishop Zurek resolved quickly and amicably.
That is my desire as well.
But since I must be obedient to my bishop, I am conducting my pro-life mission from Amarillo. I am hopeful that very soon now I will be back on the road fulfilling my vocation to energize the People of Life both here in the United States and throughout the world.
So...he prints support from two people, and then goes on to say that "due to the sensitive and private nature of my situation with Bishop Zurek" he can't reveal the names of those who are supportive. What? It's okay to cite Bp. Gries and Ray Flynn, but nobody else? And what's with pitting one bishop (along with some anonymous ones) against his own?
And if his desire is to have this situation resolved quickly, why did he blow off the meeting arranged by Bishop Zurek? If he "must be obedient to (his) bishop", then why didn't he meet with him? That makes no sense to me.
And he hopes to be "back on the road fulfilling (his) vocation"? His first vocation is to be a priest, isn't it? Obedient to his bishop? Am I missing something here?
If Priests For Life is of God, then it will continue to do God's work with or without Fr. Pavone at the helm. That's how I see it, but I'm not so sure Fr. Pavone does. I'm struck by the unsavory similarity to Fr Gruner and his The Fatima Crusader organization. Gruner believes that if he weren't still directing the group, it would fail. (he might well be right)
To me, at this point, it doesn't matter if Pavone is right and his bishop is wrong, or vice versa. I know nothing about Bishop Zurek at all, so I have no opinion on him or his position. I pray for the sake of the Church that this situation get resolved quickly and completely. I pray that both parties display humility and civility. I hope it's not too late for that, and yet I fear in Pavone's case, it might be. Which is why, as a result of this email, Fr. Pavone has zero credibility left with me. I'm going to continue to support pro-life causes, but I can't support Fr. Pavone.
Needless to say, I emailed PFL and unsubscribed from the email service.
I know I might take some flak over this. Let 'er rip. I'm not denying that Fr. Pavone has been a force for good in the pro-life movement - I'm saying that his current actions show that he's merely protecting his own interests at the expense of his credibility. And maybe at the expense of the pro-live movement.
