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Frank Pavone at a demonstration of radical anti-abortion opponents in front of the Supreme Court (2020): For the Vatican only »Mr.
Pavone«
Photo: GREGORY A SHEMITZ / REUTERS
The Vatican has ousted a priest in the United States who is one of the leaders of the anti-abortion movement in the country and a supporter of former US President Donald Trump.
Frank Pavone has spread "blasphemous posts" on social media and behaved disobediently towards bishops, the Reuters news agency and the Catholic news agency CNA report, citing a letter that the Catholic nuncio in the USA, Christoph Pierre, sent to the bishops in the country have.
There is “no possibility of appeal” against this decision.
In the letter, the former priest would only say "Mr.
Pavone" and also referred to as "a layman".
During the 2016 presidential campaign, according to Reuters, Pavone released a video showing an aborted fetus on an altar and urged Catholics not to vote for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
After Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden in the 2020 US election, Pavone was among Trump supporters who questioned the validity of the election.
According to CNA, Pavone also held official positions on Trump's 2016 team and has meanwhile co-chaired the "Pro Life" campaign Trump launched in support of the 2020 election.
However, canon law forbids clerics from playing an active role in political parties unless they receive permission from the bishop.
According to Reuters, Pavone reacted disappointed to the decision.
He said he still hasn't received any official notification from the Vatican about his release.
He also criticized the Vatican for "talking to the media before you talk to the priest."
He will "never leave the priesthood."
Sol/Reuters