On December 17th, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre informed the U.S. bishops in a December 13th letter that Catholic priest, Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, was removed from his priestly duties. According to the news reports, Fr. Pavone is accused of “blasphemous” communications on social media and “disobedience” towards his bishop.
Since 2002, the Schindler family has been friends with Fr. Pavone after Robert Schindler, the father of Terri Schiavo, met with Fr. Pavone asking for his help in Terri’s case. For those who do not remember, in 1990, at the age of twenty six, Terri experienced a still-unexplained brain injury while home alone with her estranged husband, Michael Schiavo who subsequently became her legal guardian. Because Terri had difficulty swallowing, she needed a feeding tube to provide food and water. In March 2005, after a lengthy legal battle initiated by Michael Schiavo, Terri’s feeding tube was removed and she died by dehydration and starvation that took nearly two agonizing weeks.
Having Fr. Pavone’s support was an answer to prayers by Terri’s family as he became one of the few priests who had the courage to rightly stand in support of Terri’s life. This was after Bishop Robert Lynch of the Diocese of St. Petersburg not only refused to advocate for Terri, but permitted a Catholic priest, Father Gerard Murphy, to testify in the 2000 trial on behalf of Michael Schiavo that the removal of Terri’s feeding tube was consistent with Catholic teaching.
Not only did Fr. Pavone speak out on behalf of Terri’s right to life-affirming care, but he also strongly condemned the unjust decision by the court to remove her feeding tube. Moreover, Fr. Pavone corrected the erroneous court testimony by Fr. Murphy that the removal of Terri’s feeding tube, which intentionally imposed death, was illicit and against the teachings of the Church. Even today, Fr. Pavone continues to support the work of Terri’s family as patient advocates defending the dignity of the medically vulnerable.
Bobby Schindler, brother of Terri Schiavo stated, “I’ve been a friend to Father Frank for twenty years, and he is a dedicated and passionate defender of the unborn and our medically defenseless. There are few people, particularly in our clergy, who have done more to protect those who are in the crosshairs of a pro-eugenic agenda.”
“Forever seared into my memory was being at Terri’s bedside with Father Frank and my sister, Suzanne in the final days of her barbaric death as he sang the joyful Latin Easter Proclamation, Victime Paschale Laudes. It was what Terri last heard before she entered into the arms of our Savior. It brought my family the comfort we needed at the darkest time of our lives,” said Schindler. Please keep Fr. Pavone in your prayers during this difficult time….
Release from Christian Newswire.
Pavone is undergoing a white martyrdom, courtesy of the Vatican. Pray for his strength and fidelity to the priestly vows he made.
Frank Pavone’s father Joseph just passed away, today, on the Feast of the Holy Innocents.
May Mr. Joseph Pavone, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Please pray for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Very sick.
I’m sick of hearing about Mr. Pavone. Move on.
“Are you not entertained?”
That is very perceptive of you, SouthCoast. Children who are out of school need something to do to pass the time. In the old days they used to play baseball, basketball, and football. Those who play around on the Internet are not running the streets and getting themselves arrested.
Her husband wanted her dead, so he could get on with his life. I remember hearing a nurse say how discusted she was when Terri’s husband tried to flirt with her as his wife was lying there dying. God bless Fr. Pavone for standing up for Terri and comforting her in her last moments.
For that and that alone, he will always be Fr. Pavone to me.
On a practical level, who could blame him? A man has needs, and there’s no future with an invalid. Yeah, I know… for better or worse, in sickness and in health. But you have to be realistic. The Church doesn’t recognize divorce. In times past, not too long ago, Terry would have died naturally because there would be no way to keep her alive. Now we keep people alive artificially when there’s no hope of recovery and they are breathing vegetables. What’s compassionate? What’s realistic? The husband isn’t necessarily the bad guy here.
Really, Realistic,
“A man has needs…”, so he is allowed to murder his wife – so he can marry a new wife and forego any financial or otherwise responsibilities.
Terry was not in a coma – she was not a vegetable – She was aware of company.
Terry was not on life support, she was breathing on her own
She was having tube feedings only as a preventive that she wouldn’t swallow feedings into her
trachea rather than her esophagus.
But they forbade all feedings and even oral care in order to starve her.
They could have begun small feedings with liquids to test her swallow capability .
She didn’t need super-human devices to keep her alive
But no – the intent was that she would die.as soon as possible
There was even a disagreement among the Neurologist Consultants as to how conscious and responsive she was; Some finding her responsive. not just reflex behavior.
Also many patients can hear even if they can’t respond. And some patients are very conscious
but are in a “locked-in syndrome” so they look unresponsive.
And even comatose patients feel pain.
Any of us would be in agony and die under a regime of forced starvation and probably within 2 weeks. There is swelling and intercellular imbalances from starvation that cause the whole body
to react in pain and breakdown (skin, mucous membranes, organs, etc)
There is no compassion there. That was evil
It is a crime to mistreat or starve a dog but it was accepted in Terry’s case despite her family
willing to take her to their home.
Considering that the source of head injury was suspicious, should have delayed any precipitous
judgement by the courts, Priests, Hospital staff, etc.
Thank you for posting the exact situation. Perhaps someone should starve “realistic” to death when his/her time comes, and if the person thinks it cannot happen to him/her, they had better think again. Food and water should not be taken away until the person is in the actual dying process — in other words at the very end of life when there is no hope.
Correction to second line: “disgusted” not “discusted”.
However, it is possible to have “discusted”
or to be “discusted” if one has cussed with
the lips in a way at variance with the brains original
intent.
Avoid the company of those headed for darnation
and keep me out of Heck.!
You are right about that, there are very few of us if any who have not misused his lips at times by cussing when seriously angry. I read Judy Brown’s ALL Website and am taking her advice. It will keep me calm.
He wanted the $~ M-O-N-E-Y ~$
Please tell us why did you come to this article if you are tired of hearing about Frank Pavone. Trolling too much?
The headline on the home page assaults you with the name Pavone. Some trads can’t bear to see their idols fall from grace.
Some Internet trolls can’t stand to see an article that is not accompanied by ignorant, trolling comments.
Assaults?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
See how hatred destroys the mind.
Bishop Lynch was later quietly deposed by “acceptance of resignation” after a sexual accusation and payout to a male worker went through the courts
Be careful who is your power of attorney for health and make your wishes known in writing.
I was just at a medical facility today and they asked if I had a living will or power of attorney.
i wanted to say “Why? What are you going to do to me?” but I refrained.