Posted on 05/06/2005 11:05:08 AM PDT by murphE
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, officially announced that he is founding a pro-life community dedicated to the formation and training of priests, deacons, brothers and seminarians who will devote themselves fully to the proclamation of the Gospel of Life. This initiative will be based in the diocese of Amarillo, Texas, under the authority and stewardship of Bishop John W. Yanta, Bishop of Amarillo.
"It has been a dream of mine for over a decade to form a community that can accept seminarians who want to devote their entire ministry to the defense of the unborn," said Fr. Pavone. "While it is true that a few religious orders have pro-life work as a dimension of their activities, the Church has no ‘institutional’ society of men whose primary charism is to protect innocent human life from the tragedy of abortion and euthanasia. It is time for such a community. I am grateful to Bishop Yanta for allowing me the opportunity to make this dream a reality."
Bishop Yanta, who has served on the Priests for Life Episcopal Board of Advisors since 1998, and who has been particularly devoted to the pro-life cause throughout his priesthood, has already offered several buildings in his diocese that will serve as the center for the new apostolate. "I am excited about supporting Fr. Pavone in venturing forth, with and through the Holy Spirit, in the establishment of a Society of Apostolic Life for priests and seminarians dedicated to pro-life ministry—an immense need at this time in history," said Bishop Yanta today. "The Lord has provided several vacant buildings that once served as a Christian Brothers High School with boarding facilities, a chapel, gym, and spacious grounds. The Diocese of Amarillo is happy to make these available (at no cost) to Priests for Life and the proposed Society of Apostolic Life."
This community, while drawing on the spirit and mission of Priests for Life, will be a completely separate entity. Priests for Life will continue to exist as a not-for-profit association of the faithful under Canon Law. Fr. Pavone will continue to serve as the National Director of Priests for Life. In order to initiate the historic formation of this pro-life community of priests, deacons, brothers and seminarians, Fr. Pavone has officially become a priest of the diocese of Amarillo.
"This is a pivotal moment in time," said Fr. Pavone. "Throughout the history of the Church, God has intervened in times of great moral crisis and has raised up within His Church the charisms necessary to address those crises. I have long been convinced that God is raising up numerous disciples ready to devote their entire lives to ending the tragedy of abortion, which the bishops have identified this as the ‘fundamental human rights issue of our day.’ I have no doubt that we will see a tremendous and immediate response to this initiative."
You go, Padre.
I hope that they make the reinforcement of the Church's teaching of contraception part of their mission statement. The attacks on the sanctity of life begin at the foundation of life, in the fulfillment of marriage and the marital act.
What a great idea! I think there is an order of nuns, the Sisters of Life, founded under the late Cardinal O'Connor. It would be wonderful to have a men's religious society as well.
It would be a good time to send Fr. Pavone a few dollars, if you can spare it. Orders grow faster and prayers are answered sooner if there's money to back up all those prayers.
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