Do you remember when Fr. Pavone was first remanded to his diocese and the Priest’s for Life first put under scrutiny?
At the time, there were all kinds of allegations and innuendo of financial misconduct and worse alleged against Fr. Pavone and the group. All kinds of allegations and innuendo, some of it quite vile.
At the time, there were many people that were assured by the combox inquisitors and prominent bloggers that where there is smoke, there is certainly fire. The Bishop knows much more than we and he would not have made such a dramatic move unless things were seriously wrong!!!
In fact, many people assured us that things are likely much worse than we know. Why else would the Bishop suspend Fr. Pavone from all ministry outside the diocese? Wake up! Why would a Bishop take such a serious and draconian step unless Fr. Pavone was guilty of serious wrong doing? Stop defending the guy, Archbold. Wake up and smell the coffee! Read the writing on the wall! This is Corapi all over again!!
Well, the Congregation for the Clergy overturned that suspension and then today we have the news that all the issues surrounding Fr. Pavone and Priest for Life are over and all can go about their business. Nothing to see here, move along.
All this is not to say that all was perfect before the intervention and that some improvements haven’t been made, these are humans we are talking about after all. But the worst fears, allegations, and copious innuendo that spewed about after the intervention have proven unfounded.
While the situations are certainly different in many regards, I would ask people to keep this in mind before assuming that the worst allegations and innuendo against the Franciscan of the Immaculate and its founder must be true or the Vatican and the commissioner would not have acted this way.
As we see, that is not always the case.
