I am on day three of a week’s worth of posts dedicated to focusing on the good things Bishop Zurek has done for the Amarillo Diocese. In previous posts I wrote about the mess that Bishop Yanta inherited from Bishop Matthiesen, however today’s good started out as a mess that Bishop Yanta created for Bishop Zurek…
Good #3-Dealing with Father Frank Pavone
Ever since September of 2018 when a man brought firearms into St. Mary’s, there has been an armed police presence at the Cathedral on Sundays; however this was not the first time protection of this sort was deemed necessary. In 2011…
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek of Amarillo, Texas suspended Fr. Pavone from public ministry outside his home diocese, beginning Sept. 13. He cited “deep concerns” about the financial stewardship of Priests for Life ministries and said Fr. Pavone had disobeyed him. Fr. Pavone had failed to audit the financials of all the Priests for Life ministries, he said.
Some supporters of Fr. Pavone organized protests in Amarillo. An airplane and large trucks featuring graphic images of aborted babies circled St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral and school in Amarillo, the Amarillo Globe News reports. One demonstrator, Gregg Cunningham, also was outside the cathedral, carrying a sign asking Bishop Zurek to “free” Fr. Pavone.
From Fr. Pavone asks supporters to be respectful and prayerful, 2011
Then prior to the presidential election in November of 2016…
Father Frank Pavone has posted a video on his Facebook page of the body of an aborted fetus, which is against the dignity of human life and is a desecration of the altar. We believe that no one who is pro-life can exploit a human body for any reason, especially the body of a fetus.
Statement from Bishop patrick j. Zurek
Once again in September of 2020 Bishop Zurek drew national attention (and much angst) from pro-lifers…
Recently Father Frank Pavone has posted a variety of messages and statements in regard to the General Elections in November, 2020. These postings on Social Media as videos concern the serious sinfulness of voting for candidates of a particular political party (with refusal of absolution if confessed) and the use of scandalous words not becoming of a Catholic priest. These postings are not consistent with Catholic Church Teachings. Neither the Catholic Church nor the Diocese of Amarillo condone any of these messages. Please disregard them and pray for Father Pavone.
Diocese of Amarillo Issues Statement Regarding Father Frank Pavone
Over the years in all these dealings Bishop Zurek has acted like a shepherd on insisting that “abortion is homicide”, while avoiding himself “with political life, on political problems”. This is how the Holy Father would have him act, and that is why it is my good #3.
Has not Bishop Zurek lived in a “manner worthy of the call (he has) received” by proclaiming the pro-life message “out through all the earth“, thus avoiding another “serious mistake“ to “acclaim (God) as Lord” while showing us “the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice“; bringing about “a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good“?
Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
Make it part of you to be a part of me.
Follow me up and down,
All the way and all around,
Take my hand and say you’ll follow me.”
I agree with our bishop, Patrick J. Zurek, in putting forth in his Holy Week homilies this year the Encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, as the standard for love and unity in our diocese. Today, let’s reflect upon paragraph #154 in that regard:
CHAPTER FIVE
A BETTER KIND OF POLITICS
154. The development of a global community of fraternity based on the practice of social friendship on the part of peoples and nations calls for a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good. Sadly, politics today often takes forms that hinder progress towards a different world.
“Inasmuch as there could be serious legal implications for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles if we do fully disclose to you our concern regarding the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P., by this letter I am informing you that the Reverend John Salazar, Sch.P. would never be allowed to minister as a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in any way whatsoever given the circumstances of his case.”
From a 1991 letter from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to the Diocese of Amarillo prior to Bishop’s Matthiesen’s bringing of John Salazar to the Diocese of Amarillo. Bishop Matthiesen ignored this warning. Later he defended the “serious mistake” by stating that he never conducted his own checks of the priests – which included the Rev. John Salazar-Jimenez, and that it wasn’t until 10 years later that he learned some priests were not the first-time sex offenders that they purported to be when he agreed to hire.
A Memorial in the Grotto of St. Mary’s Cathedral raised by Monsignor Waldow during Bishop Yanta’s episcopacy. Monsignor Waldow wrote:
“In memory of the death of innocence of the victims of clergy sexual abuse. When innocence dies…a life stops. It is essential that we never forget.”
