Priests for life head ordered to take parish assignment

PEOPLE & EVENTS

The Rev. Frank A. Pavone, director of a network of anti-abortion priests called Priests for Life, has been ordered to assume duties as a parish priest in New York, a move that could decrease the influence of the controversial organization.

New York Cardinal Edward Egan reassigned Pavone in September, saying that a critical shortage of priests in the New York City area compelled him to end several special, non-parish assignments.

"We have assignments that need to be filled, and we don't have enough priests to fill them," Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the archdiocese, told The National Catholic Register. Zwilling noted that other priests have been reassigned from administrative duties and added, "This is a continuation of that."

There may be more to the story, however. Last year Pavone announced the launch of an aggressive multi-million campaign to use television and print ads urging voters to reject any Catholic candidate who supports legal abortion. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops later asked Pavone to suspend the campaign, saying it duplicated other church efforts.

Pavone ran afoul of the church hierarchy again earlier this year, when he announced a $12 million campaign aimed at women who have abortions but then later regret the decision. After meeting with Baltimore Cardinal William Keeler, Pavone said he would coordinate his activities with Project Rachel, a similar project run by the bishops.

"We are shocked at what has happened and frankly can't make heads or tails of it," Anthony DeStefano, the group's executive director, said. DeStefano said he would run the group until a new leader is found.

Priests for Life was founded in 1991, and Pavone became its director two years later. At that time, he had the permission of Cardinal John J. O'Connor, then archbishop of New York. Last year, after Pavone announced he could target pro-- choice Catholic politicians in ads, Americans United warned him that if the ads endorsed or opposed candidates, the tax-exempt status of Priests for Life would be jeopardized.

Copyright Americans United for Separation of Church and State Nov 2001
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