On Monday afternoon, June 16th, when I was expecting to have a phone call with Fr. Dave Deibel, I received the sad news that he had passed away earlier that day.
Fr. Dave served the Lord by being an advocate for other servants of the Lord. He was a faithful brother priest and certainly helped me and my ministry, Priests for Life, to fulfill all that was asked of us by the Church. For decades, he served as chief canonical consultant for me as a priest and for our ministry.
He guided and advised us through many interactions and processes with Church officials both in the United States and in Rome. He helped us to build protective structures for our work, and helped to defend me against actions of the hierarchy that were later deemed unjust by the Vatican.
Through letters like this, he helped the public at various points in time to understand the facts about me and my ministry.
Not only did he have a great understanding of Canon Law, but he had a very deep and practical insight into human nature, and a commonsense realism that served his clients well. He loved the Church, as we do, but that did not blind him to the human failings of Church leaders. He was loyal to Church authority, as we are, but that did not blind him to the fact that sometimes that authority is abused, and those who are victims of that abuse need a good advocate.
We remember him now in our prayers as we commend him to the Lord. We pray for the consolation of his family and other friends. We will miss him and will always be grateful for his advocacy!
Read his obituary here.