A Very Catholic Grinch
The Vatican Grinch has stolen Christmas!! You heard that right, the Vatican Grinch has stolen Christmas.
Who is this naughty Grinch, blowing out the bright candles of the Nativity of our Lord? Just when the Vatican is supposed to shine a bright light for the world it becomes grinchy and throws shade at the celebration of the birth of the Son.
This Grinch is probably not the papal nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Christopher Pierre, who delivered a letter to the American bishops on December 13th. All the evidence indicates that Archbishop Pierre was not the Grinch Himself just his messenger. The Grinch had to have been a high-ranking Vatican official, perhaps Pope Francis himself.
The letter informed the bishops that Fr. Frank Pavone, a leading figure in the American pro-life movement with Priests for Life, was being laicized. The reasons for this extraordinary action were “blasphemous communications on social media” and “persistent disobedience of the lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop.”
In reviewing the information on the Internet on this topic the Catholic Wise guy has not found any “blasphemous communications” issued by Fr. Pavone. “Persistent disobedience…to his bishop” is a different matter. It appears odd that Fr. Pavone, a New York guy, is now under the authority of Bishop Patrick J. Zurek in Amarillo, Texas. Fr. Pavone has experienced bishop problems throughout his career with Priests for Life. He considered his pro-life ministry his only vocation, and his bishops have asked him to serve in other ministries, including running a parish. Of course, the bishops have the authority to do this and Fr. Pavone should comply. The Catholic Church, unlike its Protestant brethren, is a church of obedience.
So, technically Fr. Pavone may be in the wrong. But the Wise Guy suggests we step back and look at the big picture. What is the greatest moral problem threatening the United States, the Catholic Church, and the World? The answer is abortion. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has reaffirmed this year after year. (It’s not clear the Vatican agrees.) Fr. Pavone has been a highly effective leader in the fight for life and inspired millions of pro-lifers and saved thousands upon thousands of babies. Why not just leave him in this ministry? It’s doubtful any other priest could be as effective as he has been. This is where the Wise Guy sees the Grinch at work.
Why wasn’t a deal worked out? Doesn’t the Vatican specialize in deals?
Some Catholics argue that since we have a surplus of priests in America the practical effects of this decision will be minimal. We won’t miss one priest saying mass and hearing confessions. It will be easy to find a priest just as effective in Fr. Pavone in his Priests for Life ministry.
The Catholic Wise Guy is not so optimistic. Fr. Pavone was uniquely gifted and probably called by the Lord for his pro-life ministry. Removing him is a slap in the face to the Lord. Furthermore, the punishment does not fit the “crime.” The Wise Guy asks:
How many proven sex abusers have been laicized?
How many leaders who mismanaged finances have been laicized?
How many priests openly challenging Church teaching and wandering among the faithful “roaring like a lion” remain unpunished?
So, the Vatican Grinch ruined the Wise Guy’s Christmas.
What should the faithful do, stuck in a fold with negligent shepherds? Our shepherds “listen to” and “accompany” the unfaithful but ignore the faithful and sometimes cancel or laicize their leaders.
What we cannot do is leave the Church. Like many others, the Wise Guy explored this path during the sex abuse crisis and concluded there is nowhere else to go. We are stuck with the Catholic Church. Yes, it is flawed and sinful, but it possesses “the fulness of truth.” All the other churches present even more problems from beliefs to liturgy to practice. And it is naïve to believe their leaders are less sinful and better managers than ours.
What should the faithful do, stuck in this stinky sheepfold? Here’s what the Wise Guy plans to do. Having business training and knowing that money talks, not just in business, but everywhere, including the Church, he will carefully manage his tithing. He will continue to support his local church and some Catholic charities but will withhold contributions to all dioceses until Fr. Pavone is reinstated.
I urge my gentle readers to pray about this and see if this path is right for them. Let’s let our money do the talking.
I close with this. We have survived two thousand years of sinners and mismanagement from pope to layman and will survive this latest blow to the Lord’s body. Thinking of the 70s song by Lynn Anderson I say to my Church, “How Can I Unlove You?”