(LifeSiteNews) – News of Father Pavone’s laicization was first leaked to Catholic News Agency (CNA), but the letter that notified the American bishops of his penalty has been published.
VATICAN— Pro-Life Priest, @frfrankpavone, was reportedly laicized by the Vatican with no chance of appeal on 9 Nov 2022.
Yesterday, @cnalive reported the laicization—where Pavone stated, was the first time he heard of it.@USCCB pic.twitter.com/aA4uqs5bkh
— Bree A Dail (@breeadail) December 18, 2022
The letter was written by Apostolic Nuncio to the United States Archbishop Christophe Pierre, who wrote: “I have been informed by the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy that, on 9 November 2022, a Supreme decision admitting no possibility of appeal directed that Rev. Frank Pavone be dismissed from the clerical state.”
The letter noted that “Father Pavone was a very public and high-profile figure associated with the Right to Life Movement in the U.S.”
And that “his dismissal from the clerical state may, therefore, be a matter of interest among the faithful.”
Pierre attached a statement regarding Pavone’s dismissal.
The statement reads: “Rev. Frank Pavone, the founder of the organization, Priests for Life, Inc., was dismissed from the clerical state by the Holy See on 9 November 2022. This action was taken after Father Pavone was found guilty in canonical proceedings of blasphemous communications on social media, and of persistent disobedience of the lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop.
“Father Pavone was given ample opportunity to defend himself in the canonical proceedings, and he was also given multiple opportunities to submit himself to the authority of his diocesan bishop. It was determined that Father Pavone had no reasonable justification for his actions.
“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.”