Father Pavone's bishop responds

Fr Frank Pavone's ordinary, Bishop Patrick Zurek of the Diocese of Amarillo, Texas, issued a statement today concerning Pavone's likely profanation of an altar and the desecration of the body of an unborn child: Statement from Bishop Patrick J. Zurek.

Below is the full text of Bishop Zurek's statement:

November 8, 2016

• Priests for Life, Inc., is not a Catholic institution, but a civil organization, and it is not under the control or supervision of the Diocese of Amarillo.

• Father Frank Pavone has posted a video on his Facebook page of the body of an aborted fetus, which is against the dignity of human life and is a desecration of the altar. We believe that no one who is pro-life can exploit a human body for any reason, especially the body of a fetus.

Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Amarillo

• The Diocese of Amarillo deeply regrets the offense and outrage caused by the video for the faithful and the community at large. The action and presentation of Father Pavone in this video is not consistent with the beliefs of the Catholic Church.

• The Diocese of Amarillo is opening an investigation about all these matters.

Priests for life incorporating as a civil, not a Catholic, entity, was the result of the dispute between Bishop Zurek and Fr Pavone.