By Brenda J. Lawrence
Father Frank Pavone, "Priests for Life" national director, will make several
appearances in Northwest Florida during early May.
His visit is being sponsored by the pro-life committee at St. Mary Parish,
Pensacola, which is hosting a May 9 citywide "Mass for Life," to be celebrated
by Father Pavone. He will also give the homily.
He will be joined by area priests, including Father Slade Crawford, Little
Flower Parish pastor; Father Rick Dawson, pastor of St. Jude Thaddeus Parish,
Cantonment; Father Hector Perez, administrator of St. Stephen Parish.
Monique Hutchinson, who chairs the parish's pro-life committee, said she
first became familiar with Father Pavone's work through his guest appearances on
"Mother Angelica Live," on EWTN.
"He offered to visit various areas around the country to talk about pro-life
issues," she said. "I was interested in learning more, and found out he planned
to visit Ft. Walton Beach."
With the blessing of Father Eugene Casserly, her pastor, Father Pavone was
invited to make a stop in Pensacola to celebrate Mass, she said.
Father Pavone is scheduled to be in Ft. Walton Beach on May 5 for pro-life
activities, then will be the guest at a pro-life committee luncheon in Pensacola
on May 8.
Before celebrating the 8 p.m. Mass in Pensacola, he has promised to visit
Alpha Center, a pregnancy counseling center here.
Rosary prayers payers will at 7:30 p.m., and a reception will follow the
liturgy.
Father Pavone 37, makes his home base in his native New York. His pro-life
work is a full-time job taking him to speaking engagements all over the country.
He is the author of several articles and pro-life brochures, and besides EWTN,
has appeared on other television and radio shows.
He has master's degrees in divinity and theology from St.
Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie N.Y. He has been a pastor and a seminary teacher.
EWTN aired his group's series on abortion for six months
during 1995. He has also hosted a call-in show on the network's sister shortwave
radio station, WEWN.
"Priests for Life" also distributes a monthly newsletter.
The group recently endorsed "Lime 5," a book written by Mark
Crutcher about the abortion industry, for which his group provided some
information.
