On November 9th 2022, notoriously pro-life priest, Frank Pavone, was officially laicized, "without possibility of appeal". This is an order that can only have come from the Pope, according to Gerald Murray, a Catholic canonist and priest of the Archdiocese of New York. Pavone's dismissal from the priesthood was allegedly the result of "blasphemous communications on social media" and "persistent disobedience of the lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop".
Without lending a shred of credibility to the Catholic Church, this could not be more ironic. Historically, and even to this day, the Catholic Church has been notoriously, consistently, and vocally pro-life. Yet, Pavone's dismissal seems to actually be the result of a recent division within the Catholic Church. Of course, the Papacy has always been quite worldly, but in recent years, it has done so by linking arms with Liberalism. Pope Francis himself, in many ways, is incredibly Left wing, in ways that would likely have got him burned at the stake a few centuries ago.
Tragically, in a recent interview with America Magazine, the Pope even refused to uphold the personhood of the unborn. "On abortion, I can tell you these things, which I’ve said before. (...) there is a living human being. I do not say a person, because this is debated, but a living human being."
Of course, to be fair to him, he didn't say abortion is ok, nor does he hold such a position. His main concern is the politicisation of the issue. He can be credited for this: "I mean, let no one hijack this truth, which is universal. It does not belong to one party or another. It is universal." But he goes on to say "When I see a problem like this one, which is a crime, become strongly, intensely political, there is a failure of pastoral care in approaching this problem."
This, it would seem, is the main reason for Pavone's dismissal. Pavone claims there have been attempts to cancel him for quite some time. Regarding Bishop Patrick James Zurek, whom Pavone suggests is the ringleader in his dismissal, he says "[Zurek] has been trying to get me out of the priesthood. So we've had all kinds of communications back and forth, but the process has been a one-sided narrative. They don't listen. They pretend, even in their public statement now, they pretend that, ‘Oh Father Frank's been given many opportunities to defend himself.’ As if we haven't been defending ourselves, and doing so for 20 years. They're being so disingenuous about this."
While the Pope is concerned about politicising issues such as abortion, Pavone has no such qualms. He is a passionate Conservative, and in particular, he is very outspoken against abortion. He lambasts spineless Bishops who, hating the emphasis he places on the abortion issue, also speak against his support for pro-life candidates. "What do they want me to do support pro-abortion candidates like some of them do? No thanks. You know, but everything that we've taught and done has been in accord with the teachings of the Church.", he says. "One bishop told me one time ‘Father Frank, you're too aggressive on abortion,'" he said. "So I said, ‘Well, as soon as abortion stops being aggressive on the little babies, that it dismembers and decapitates, then you come and talk to me.'"
Fellow pro-life activist Abby Johnson is among many to call out the Catholic Church's hypocrisy on this issue. In a Facebook post, Johnson commented "So, let’s tally the score. Fr. James Martin…gay priest who supports gay “marriage” and loads of other immoral acts - priest in good standing who continues to move up the Vatican chain of command.
Fr. Frank Pavone…faithful priest who has been the director of Priests for Life for decades and has fought tirelessly for the unborn, their mothers and former abortion clinic workers - removed from the priesthood."
But this, it seems, is too polarizing for history's most Left wing Pope. In the aforementioned interview, irreverently referring to the Holy Spirit as "it", rather than the more appropriate "He", Francis declared "If we see how the Holy Spirit acts; it first causes disorder: Think of the morning of Pentecost, and the confusion and mess (lío) it created there, and then it brings about harmony. The Holy Spirit in the church does not reduce everything to just one value; rather, it harmonizes opposing differences. That is the Catholic spirit. The more harmony there is between the differences and the opposites the more Catholic it is."
I thank God I am not a Catholic. This is an incredibly messy situation, and it's not one I want to be involved in. I don't want to choose between supporting a brave man like Frank Pavone, and a cowardly leader like Francis. I don't want to have to submit myself to sexual deviants like James Martin, while apparently voicing support for Donald Trump is an issue. I don't want to have to regard Conservatism as some great evil while Democrat voters sit in the pews without fear.
And as a priest myself, I don't have to.
The lesson I hope many will learn from this tragic mess is that the priesthood of the Bible and the priesthood of the Catholic Church are very different things. From the minor to the major, the Catholic priesthood deviates from the Bible in many ways. Biblically speaking, there is no special class of priests, and there is certainly no Pope. Rather, we are charged to not think of men beyond what is written of them (1 Corinthians 4:6). And what is written regarding the priesthood? "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10, emphasis added).
As believers in Christ, then, we are the priesthood. We are not addressed as "Father", as Catholic priests are, as Christ told us "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven." (Matthew 23:9). We confess our sins to each other (James 5:16), and to God (1 John 1:9), who alone can forgive sins (Mark 2:7). The temple veil, which previously could only be crossed by the High Priest, was torn (Matthew 27:50-51) when our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:20), shed His blood to make atonement for our sins once and for all (Hebrews 7:27). Therefore, we are the temples of God (1 Corinthians 3:16), making living sacrifices to Him (Romans 12:1), and coming boldly before His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
This is what is written of the men of God. Not that they, who are called "Father", may offer us absolution, after hearing our confession. Not that they may permit, or otherwise bar us from receiving communion. Not that they may supernaturally transform this bread and wine into the real, historical body of Christ, by consecrating it. And best of all? Not that some guy, who blasphemously calls himself "Holy Father", may laicise us without possibility of appeal! Where is the Pope in the word of God? Where is the Supreme Pontiff in the first century, while the true Apostles of Christ carried His word to the faithful? I'll tell you where: The Roman College of Pontiffs.
What a surprise, the head of the Roman Catholic Church shares a title with the head priest of the Roman state religion. What place has this Satanic nonsense in the Church of Christ? What right has this man to claim any authority in the Christian faith? This blasphemer, who refers to the Holy Spirit as "it", dares to presume authority over the body of Christ? I thank God I am not Catholic.
I don't know what's going through Frank Pavone's head right now, but I do pray that through this, he sees where God really stands. Perhaps, through this, God will grant him repentance. Maybe, as he continues to serve God by passionately and valiantly defending the unborn, he will serve as a true priest; a faithful servant of the Most High, whose position is not subject to the will of man, but the will of the Lord God of Israel. The Catholic Church is not the Church Jesus founded, and that much is only made more clear by the laicisation of Frank Pavone. May his example lead thousands, even millions, out of Rome, and onto the narrow road that leads to salvation, in Jesus' name, amen.