Replies

But in the lowest blow of all—again, without the least evidence of financial impropriety—Zurek suggests to all the Bishops in America that they direct the faithful to withhold their donations to Priests for Life: “If you judged it to be prudent, I would like to ask that you would inform the Christian faithful under your care to consider withholding donations to the PFL until the issues and concerns are settled.” This is nothing but a naked attempt to cripple the organization.

In his letter to the American Bishops of September 12, Father Pavone defends himself against Bishop Zurek’s public accusations of September 9. The reply is devastating. For one thing, it shows that Bishop Zurek has absolutely no jurisdiction over Priests for Life, a nonprofit, federally tax-exempt civil corporation of the State of New York, headquartered on Staten Island, with an independent Board of Directors, including other priests, 55 employees in the United States, and affiliated U.S. organizations and branches overseas with other directors and employees. Not one of these people owes any duty of obedience to an angry prelate in Amarillo who is trying to destroy their work.

The reply demolishes Bishop Zurek’s false allegation that Father Pavone has “consistently refused to subject Priests for Life to a complete and transparent auditing of all expenses.” Father Pavone, who takes no salary from the organization, has provided both Bishop Zurek and the Archbishop of New York, Timothy M. Dolan, with certified financial audits every year since his incardination in Amarillo, prepared by an accounting firm whose clients include numerous federal agencies. The reply includes a lengthy list of other detailed financial information Father Pavone has supplied to Bishop Zurek -- far more than nonprofit law requires for full accountability. Father Pavone notes that he met with Zurek to discuss the finances of Priests for Life during Holy Week of this year and that during this meeting the Bishop indicated that he had no questions whatsoever -- months before Zurek wrote the American Bishops to allege totally unsubstantiated “deep concerns” about the organization’s finances.

Clearly, Father Pavone is the victim of a hatchet job.

Pro-Life ping

Zurek combines vicious public insults with outright calumny

-snip-

the American bishops -- of course there are noble exceptions -- have betrayed the greatest civil rights movement of our time....

Look: I am not happy about what has happened to Fr. Pavone. However, as I understand, he made a vow to obey his Ordinary, and, to all appearances, he ought to keep that vow.

The language quoted above is over the top. We all must examine our consciences lest we fail to identify and repent of slander, detraction, calumny and/or gossip.

This business is really looking worse and worse. It really appears that Bishop Patrick Zurek was a rotten appointment.

As St. John Crysostom once said, “The floor of Hell is paved with the skulls of bishops.” Maybe he is acting in ignorance rather than malice. Still, that is no excuse for lying about financial disclosure at Priests for Life.

Bishop Zurek was appointed to his present position in January 2008. Brief biography here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Zurek

Bishop Zurek’s power play against Father Pavone is a prime example of why the pro-life movement has yet to win a major victory in America: the Bishops are not behind it.... Their chanceries and seminaries riddled with modernists and homosexuals, the American bishops -- of course there are noble exceptions -- have betrayed the greatest civil rights movement of our time...

I think FReeper all the best said it best, in 2008:

"Show me just one Catholic bishop who will speak up against coveting your neighbors’ goods. That is why Catholics ignored the Bishops on abortion. They know abortion is wrong but overlooked the Dems on that point because those same politicians pandered to their covetousness. Same for protestants and evangelical pastors, leaders and activists. American politics and government at all levels is driven by government-mediated coveting. Until the Church takes a stand against this we can expect to sink deeper and deeper into socialism and, oh yeah, abortion."

It would not do Fr. Pavone harm to take some time off from PFL. In the specter of Fathers Euteneuer and Corapi, the cult of personality can be seen as a seductive mistress. Fr. Pavone has done tremendous pro-life work but he is a priest, not a CEO. As for me, my charitable donations that once went to HLI and PFL are now bound for EWTN. They’re the only ones left that I trust. I pray for and wish Fr. Pavone well, but hi should not be the only face of PFL.

"... And today it is only the Roman Catholic religion that has the power to halt America’s slide down the declivity to barbarism. It is no coincidence that the pro-life movement is overwhelmingly Catholic. ..."

Man, it's good to see the truth in print.

Seems to me non-Catholic Christians got exactly what they prayed for, a nation that reflects their beliefs. Oh, they were thinking of their beliefs as simplified for Sunday School and not taken to their logical conclusion, but the actual, real endpoint, which is moral relativism is what they got because God answers prayer.

I wonder when the fact that moral relativism is the logical endpoint of Protestant thought is going to start sinking in on people and when non-Catholic theologians are going to deal with that reality? Fundamentalists and Baptists get you to moral relativism more slowly than the expressway of Calvinism, but they all take you to the same destination. Doesn't matter, really, because it's still up to Catholics to turn this nation to Christ and defy the barbarism that is now taking hold.

Whenever a country heads toward barbaric paganism, fascists take control to steer the ship of state. Anyone who thinks saying we're on the way to barbarism is an exaggeration needs to just look at the actions and goals of those steering the ship.

Bishop Cupich: Questions about involvement in the 40 Days for Life Program
http://fratres.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/full-text-bishop-cupich-clarification-of-diocesan-position/comment-page-1/#comment-8092

What I feel he is saying is that Marxism has been with the American Bishops for 20 years and it trumps the division that is caused by the staunch support of the dignity of human life called for from Rome.

In case you missed it, I urge Freepers to watch this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2788214/posts
Father Pavone Update ( You-Tube )
You-Tube ^ | Oct, 5 2011 | Life Dynamics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aFlVhD5Npc

Prolife activist Mark Crutcher of Life Dynamics reports on his recent visit with Fr. Frank Pavone during an interview on "LifeTalk," posted on YouTube (18:22 mins.).

A quote from minutes 13:20 - 13:50 of the video:
Mark Crutcher : "This bishop is conducting psychological warfare against Father Frank. And I think what he is trying to do, it's pretty clear to me, he's trying to keep this pressure up on Fr. Frank, and force Fr. Frank to become disobedient. That's what he's trying to do. And then he'll be able to stand up and say, 'You see, I told you this was a bad priest. He's disobedient. Now you see what I'm talking about.' He's trying to force him into that position."