If you’ve followed this news story, you’ll note that the Vatican has removed Frank Pavone, longtime pro-life advocate, from the priesthood.
The Church has disciplined many “famous” Catholics over the past two thousand years. It’s within its charge. It happens.
What’s fascinating is how those who are disciplined deal with it. In recent years, we have seen priests become louder and more angry when they get dealt the bitter pill of humble discipline. They take to Twitter. They find themselves hosting a show on tv. They speak at rallies.
What comes across is anger, sarcasm, vitriol. Their vows of obedience to their local bishop conventionally go out the window. It’s sad.
What we don’t see is a living out of The Quiet Life. We don’t see humility. We don’t see a recognition of the wisdom of the Church. We see a clinging to power and a refusal to give up one’s “famous Catholic” role.
In fact, the response of those who are disciplined is often hypocritical. These “cancelled priests” (and I actually hate using that term) preach obedience to the Church before they receive discipline. The moment they find themselves on the other side of things, they immediately go on the attack, seemingly discarding the truth that the Church has within her rights the ability to discipline its members.
For Frank Pavone and any other priests who have been, or will be, disciplined, try on some humility. For your sake and ours.
The Church has disciplined many “famous” Catholics over the past two thousand years. It’s within its charge. It happens.
What’s fascinating is how those who are disciplined deal with it. In recent years, we have seen priests become louder and more angry when they get dealt the bitter pill of humble discipline. They take to Twitter. They find themselves hosting a show on tv. They speak at rallies.
What comes across is anger, sarcasm, vitriol. Their vows of obedience to their local bishop conventionally go out the window. It’s sad.
What we don’t see is a living out of The Quiet Life. We don’t see humility. We don’t see a recognition of the wisdom of the Church. We see a clinging to power and a refusal to give up one’s “famous Catholic” role.
In fact, the response of those who are disciplined is often hypocritical. These “cancelled priests” (and I actually hate using that term) preach obedience to the Church before they receive discipline. The moment they find themselves on the other side of things, they immediately go on the attack, seemingly discarding the truth that the Church has within her rights the ability to discipline its members.
For Frank Pavone and any other priests who have been, or will be, disciplined, try on some humility. For your sake and ours.
-Mike