(LifeSiteNews) – Father Frank Pavone is certain that his dismissal from the clerical state is not the last punishment in store for him.
On Tuesday while speaking with Dr. Taylor Marshall on the latter’s YouTube show to tell his side of laicization story, the national director of Priests for Life said that he was convinced an excommunication was coming.
Pavone disclosed that he still hadn’t received any guidance from the Church hierarchy about his penalty and said: “I wouldn’t be surprised, Taylor, if I never hear from them again except when they send me the decree of excommunication— because I’m sure that’s what they want.”
Regarding the penalty he has already received, Pavone said that he was “telling people ten years ago” that he was going to hear “through the media that they’ve dismissed me from the priesthood.”
“I said those exact words,” he added.
Pavone said that what has happened to him regarding his dismissal from the priestly state is “an extension of what’s happened over the past 21 years.”
He said that in 2001 some “bishops started to get pretty uncomfortable” with the pro-life organization due to the growing “size and influence.”
After the bishops became “nervous that they weren’t controlling the Priests for Life finances…[and] they started making moves to restrict” his ministry.
At a certain point Pavone’s former bishop tried to have him removed as leader of the organization, but a solution was reached wherein he was placed at a parish where he wasn’t needed and could continue his work.
“About a decade ago” an audit was done of the organization. The Vatican looked at all the finances “and said they were all good.”
RELATED: Fr. Pavone’s message to Pope Francis: ‘I want to continue serving as a faithful priest’
America’s best loved pro-life priest, Fr. Frank Pavone, the National Director of Priests for Life as well as the President of the National Pro-Life Religious Council, has apparently been laicized (dismissed from the priesthood) by order of Pope Francis.
SIGN: This outrageous attack on the pro-life movement by the so-called “listening Church” is a mockery of justice. Stand by Fr. Pavone ASAP!
Catholic News Agency reports that a December 13 letter to all bishops in America, sent from the Pope’s representative in America – the Papal Nuncio Fr. Christophe Pierre – says that Fr. Pavone was laicized for “blasphemous communications on social media” and “persistent disobedience of the lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop.”
In a separate statement, the papal nuncio wrote that the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy – the head of the Vatican’s department dealing with priests – said that there was “no possibility of appeal” of the decision.
DEMAND JUSTICE: Pope Francis’ totalitarian regime cannot strike down faithful pro-life priests like Fr. Frank Pavone without international outrage!
According to CNA, which has confirmed the letter with several bishops, the statement calls Fr. Pavone, “Mr. Pavone.”
“Since Priests for Life, Inc. is not a Catholic organization, Mr. Pavone’s continuing role in it as a lay person would be entirely up to the leadership of that organization,” the statement says.
The statement notes that the decision on the matter by the Dicastery for Clergy was issued on November 9, but Fr. Pavone had not heard of the decision from the Vatican until CNA called him for comment.
SIGN AND STAND UP NOW: DEMAND THAT POPE FRANCIS IMMEDIATELY STOP HIS ATTACKS AGAINST FAITHFUL PRIESTS!
If Pope Francis and this Vatican regime can get away with expelling faithful priests like Fr. Frank Pavone, then the Catholic Church may truly be entering the darkest period of her existence!
SIGN NOW!
MORE REACTION:
John-Henry Westen: Here Is What the ‘Blasphemy’ Charge Against Fr. Pavone Is All About
John-Henry Westen: BREAKING: Pope Francis laicizes America’s best loved pro-life priest Fr. Frank Pavone
Marshall asked Pavone about the fact that the communication from Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the United States, regarding his dismissal said there was no possibility of appeal.
The priest clarified that, in his opinion, this means that only the Pope, and not a court or dicastery, can alter the decision. He said he was “confident that we can resolve” the canonical situation and that he had it on good authority that “some of the Pope’s advisors are telling him, ‘You know, this was a bad mistake.’”
Part of what led to the laicization decision is Pavone’s alleged “persistent disobedience of lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop.” The priest gave Marshall the context for how those charges came about.
RELATED: Here is the letter to the US bishops outlining why Father Pavone was laicized
At one point, Pavone had been suspended by his bishop but appealed successfully, and was even told he could continue broadcasting on EWTN. Suddenly, however, Bishop Zurek forbade him from exercising any priestly ministry until a visitation from Rome was accomplished.
Pavone believed that he was able to continue operating as the head of Priests for Life while this suspension was under appeal.
He explained to Marshall that he went to Rome and asked the head of the Congregation for Clergy directly if Bishop Zurek had been authorized to suspend him. To the contrary, he was told that Zurek had been instructed to “be generous” in what he allowed Pavone to do.
“I acknowledge the need to be obedient to one’s bishop, but I also object to the abuse of authority,” the priest said.
Pavone added that either his bishop had lied to him about what the Congregation for Clergy had told him, or he was not able to understand clear directives from Rome.
As a result, Pavone found another bishop who would allow him to operate in his diocese, but Zurek wouldn’t permit him to transfer.
The priest told Marshall that all the relevant information for how he was mistreated by the hierarchy could be found at his website in a comprehensive document that will be continually updated.
WATCH: Here is what the ‘blasphemy’ charge against Fr. Pavone is all about