Statement on Frank Pavone

News broke that that Vatican has removed from the clerical state (e.g. defroked) Frank Pavone.

Pavone is most known for founding “Priests for Life” as a pro-life group, which has been extreme in some tactics—including a video with an aborted child on a “table that is sometimes used for Mass”, the explanation he gave when people called out putting the remains on display on an altar.

Being extreme is one thing, but his constant and repeated conflicts with multiple bishops, his political activism in the form of campaigning for President Trump and more has continued to become more and more problematic as time moved on.

The Vatican does not take a move like this quickly, which suggests to me that whatever internal work that has been done asking for Pavone to end his behavior was not fruitful.

It is a sad day in the Church anytime a priest is lost, especially due to disobedience and a lack of humility.

My prayers are with Frank Pavone that he finds peace and for those whose are struggling with this news. His tactics were harmful and I’m glad that this is a situation that should be resolved now.