Absolutely not! Fr. Frank Pavone was one of the first Catholic leaders to support President Trump during his first campaign, and the most vocal Catholic priest in his support during the second Campaign. Throughout that campaign, after the election, and to this day, Fr. Frank’s vocal support of President Trump as our greatest President has only grown, and will continue to grow.
Yet as a result of a Fake News campaign, headlines still circulate that give the impression that Fr. Frank distanced himself from the campaign.
Here are the facts of what happened:
In both the first and second campaigns of President Trump, Fr. Frank was asked, and gladly accepted, a role on two of the Campaign advisory boards – one for Catholic issues and the other for pro-life issues. This was over and above his regular writing, speaking, media appearances and daily broadcasts in favor of the President and his policies.
As a member of those boards, Fr. Frank regularly led prayer sessions with Catholics and other Christians around the country who were working hard to apply their beliefs and values to influence the election in the direction of the protection of life, of religious freedom, of family values, and of American principles. In fact, Fr. Frank for example, helped lead a weekly rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy for “Catholics for Trump,” and was able to bring a different priest onto these prayer sessions each week throughout the election season. Fr. Frank also addressed election volunteers in online broadcasts to explain the meaning of Easter, of Pentecost, of the Assumption, and of other Christian feasts.
Fr. Frank provided media commentary at a number of President Trump’s rallies around the country, and was a regular source of input for the Campaign on Catholic and pro-life issues, participating in conference calls on practically a daily basis.
All of this was quite public.
Fr. Frank was quite aware of the provision of Canon Law that priests not have an active role in political campaigns. However, he clearly articulated to the US bishops in a respectful and reasoned open letter, and to others privately, the reasons why the exception to that provision, also indicated in Canon law, should be utilized in our day, when the Democrat Party is literally attacking the freedom of the Church and the most fundamental right to life. The Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Catechism, and the Code of Canon Law clearly state that we must pass moral judgment even in political matters when it comes to fundamental human rights, the freedom of the Church, and the salvation of souls.
In short, how can priests – or anyone in the Church -- be politically neutral toward enemies of the Church?
Then at a certain point, Fr. Frank was informed by his canonical advisors that officials at the Vatican requested that he not have a formal title with a political campaign. In fact, Fr. Frank was warned that there would be penalties if he continued to hold his title of “Advisory Board Member” of Catholics for Trump, and “National Co-Chair of Pro-life Voices for Trump.”
So Fr. Frank indicated to the Campaign that Church law did not allow him to continue to have those titles, but that at the same time, he would continue to provide to the Campaign the input, and exercise the role of leading prayer and publicly defending the President’s positions, as he had been doing all along. This was completely acceptable to everyone. The Vatican officials were very grateful for Fr. Frank’s compliance with their demands, and the Campaign was very grateful for his continued help.
In other words, Fr. Frank did not step away, distance himself, or have any ambivalence or second thoughts about supporting President Trump and his Campaign publicly. He technically came off of those boards, but it was only a change in titles, because he continued his work and in fact increased it. Again, all of this was quite public.
But Fake News media, both Catholic and secular, just ran with headlines and stories saying that Fr. Frank “had resigned from the Trump Campaign,” as if he had suddenly experienced some kind of St. Paul conversion and repented of his support for the greatest and most pro-life President in our history. And, of course, by just throwing in that phrase, without the kind of explanation given above, these liars simply create the impression that they want to create.
For more details about what Fr. Frank continues to do in his support of President Trump, visit www.ProLifeMAGA.com.