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PDF version'Priests for Life needs a massive infusion of contributions...'
by Tom Gallagher on Nov. 07, 2011
Jerry Horn, senior vice president of Priests for Life (PFL), sent a new desperate plea for money in a letter to donors dated Nov. 4, 2011. According to the letter, many supporters have withdrawn their support of PFL because of the controversy surrounding it. Nonetheless, Horn wants to give "Father" a Thanksgiving Day gift by raising $676,618 for PFL. He asks that the donors rush their gift to him today.
Fr. Frank Pavone, the embattled national director of PFL, was called back to the Amarillo, Texas, diocese by Bishop Patrick Zurek for a period of prayer and reflection. Zurek suspended Pavone from active ministry outside the diocese. Pavone failed to show up for a mid-October meeting with Zurek and is seeking a mediator.
Horn's letter is at least the third urgent fundraising letter in the past eight weeks. The first two letters (dated Sept. 22 and Oct. 14, 2011) were written by Pavone.
Horn, who serves as the organization's spokesperson, writes to the donors instead of Pavone. Horn writes that he needs to say things to the donors that Pavone won't because of Pavone's "deep respect for the Church, and especially the office of the bishop."
While PFL needs a "massive infusion of contributions," Horn tries to assure the donors that the organization is "NOT about to shut down."
"All of our projects are moving forward. All of our programs are in full swing," Horn writes. "Our Pastoral Team is on the road as much as ever. No one on the staff has been let go. If anything, everyone here at Priests for Life is more committed to winning the battle than ever; if that's even possible."
The letter also serves as an encomium to Pavone. Horn writes about how hard Pavone continues to work as a prolific writer who makes himself available to other pro-lifers, despite the restriction on travel outside the diocese.
Horn repeats claims already publicly made by Pavone, such as the allegedly inaccurate reporting in the media of the circumstances surrounding Pavone being called back to the Amarillo.
Horn writes, "Almost everything you have read or heard about Father and his bishop is not true. Believe me, I know… It's shocking to read the flat out lies and total fabrications being reported by many in the mainstream media."
Unlike recent Pavone letters, Horn writes that it is "friends" of PFL who are sowing confusion with donors.
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"What has been far more disheartening and painful to me, however, are all the things being written about Father from those we all considered our friends and comrades in the pro-life movement," Horn writes. "I have no idea what is motivating these individuals to repeat the half-truths coming out of Amarillo."
The Amarillo Globe News, which has been covering this story, permitted Horn to write an opinion piece in the paper. Horn's Oct. 26 essay is enclosed in the donor letter. Horn insists that the donor read his essay because the donors "deserve to have as much information as possible about what's going on. … If you have any questions, call me and we can discuss them."
NCR has made a number of requests of PFL and Horn for an on-the-record interview and to specifically address any errors in the reporting of the saga. These requests have been repeatedly turned down.
[Tom Gallagher writes the Mission Management column for NCR. He can be reached at tom@tomgallagheronline.com]
SCAM,SCAM,SCAM ???
SCAM,SCAM,SCAM ??? ............. Where are the audited financials, Tom? Why has Frank Pavone been sentenced to a "...period of prayer and reflection"? This is the same "heavy sentence" the pope usually bestows on serious pedophile bishops.
Where are Priests For Life's many bishop directors on the currnet financial crisis? How many of them have retained their own criminal lawyers?
There are many other respectable pro life groups to make donations to than one under so many clouds. What fool would now donate to Priests For Life amidst the abundance of unanswered questions and disturbing signals?
I just want to see if Pavone
I just want to see if Pavone goes the way of John Corapi, AKA "The Black Sheep Dog."
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!!! Keep those "love offerings" coming in!!! Remember Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker? Talk about fleeing the flock in the name of the Lord.
Pavone on the other hand, is simply a victim of the economic down turn. Don't you dare let him down; "give "Father" a Thanksgiving Day gift."
Remember, without YOUR GIFT, "Father" maybe eating Thanksgiving dinner down at the City Mission this year.
I would think that Fr. Frank
I would think that Fr. Frank Pavone would meet with his bishop to resolve matters as quickly as possible if he is so concerned with the future of Priests For Life. Why delay meetings? Get this sorted or is there more that he is not saying which makes him afraid of the meeting with his bishop?
HORN WRITES: "What has been
HORN WRITES: "What has been far more disheartening and painful to me, however, are all the things being written about Father from those we all considered our friends and comrades in the pro-life movement."
It might be that friends know more reasons to be concerned about PFL.
Anyone who takes the time to
Anyone who takes the time to actually PFL's audited financial statements can see that they are using the organization as a conduit to funnel money to Fr. Pavone's other operations--some of which are not tax-exempt. While probably not illegal, these practices raise enough questions that potential contributors should hold off sending money to PFL until and if this all gets sorted out.
They'll NOT get one thin dime
They'll NOT get one thin dime from me. They said that I am the cause of all abortions in America. But I'm a man and I don't know any man who has ever had an abortion,ever.
I don't even know anyone who has had an abortion. But that doesn't stop them from blaming everyone else for the situation that bothers them. Nor am I a homosexual.
Let the pope or a bishop come to my house and dare to say that to my face. It'll hit him hard enough to knock him into next week. Then, I'll verbally excoriate him unto he turns blue.
If Fr. Pavone shows up on my doorstep I'll verbally rip him up one side and down the other, for two days. Then I'll kick his behind out into the snow as penniless as he came. HE'll not get any money from me. Tell him to contact Rupert Murdoch, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, Van Susteren or Cavuto at FOX NEWS. Or Bryan Williams, Chris Matthews, Scarborough, Bush's daughter or Russert's son at NBC/MSNBC. The aforementioned will really use Reagan Trickle-down economics to help them financially.
I would not give any ofg them even a penny. My nephew spent a year in Iraq. Tell them, esp. Fr. Pavone, to join the Army and go to Iraq for a year of service. Then he can see what he and the pope and the bishops and the GOP have done to the Iraqi people and their families and their fetuses. So much for Pro-life and Family Values people. Then, let him come back and spend the next 60yrs ministering to AND caring for to the families of our troops.
"Thou shalt not bear false witness" means nothing to them!!!!!
Eloquent! And so very
Eloquent! And so very true!
Many years ago, I had a relation with a woman that, suspecting that she was pregnant, told me she was going to make an abortion. Even if, at the time, I didn't have any faith, I asked her not to do it. She insisted, and I was quite appaled. Fortunately, it was a false alarm. And some time later the relation ended. You can see I'm not a person without conscience.
However, this histeric "pro life" crusade is getting me crazy. Now that I've my faith back - thank's God! - I'm afraid that the Catholic Church, if asked what's the core message in the Gospels, will answer: You must not have an abortion, you must not take the pill, and, if you don't know how to deal with the "temperature method", you must remain chaste; and you must condemn to hell all of those who don't obey the rules. This is their only mantra and their rallying war cry.
This lunacy showed its ugliest side some years ago, in Brazil. A 9 year old was abused by her stepfather, and her mother, respecting the Brazilian law, went to a clinic for getting an abortion. Because: 1) The small girl was pregnant with twins. 2) The doctors told that her sexual organs were not enough developed to have the babies. 3) And, last but not the least, she would die. The charitable reaction of the Bishop of Recide (yes, one of the John Paul II bishops, those who replaced the dangerous, "marxist" ones): he excomunicated the mother, the doctor and the nurses.
The case was so awful, that even in the Vatican someone had the courage to demand understanding and compassion. But his voice was quickly silenced by a big shot.
I think that only this case tells all what I have to tell.
Now reading the letter, it
Now reading the letter, it becomes apparent that Jerry Horn is starting to become concerned about his paycheck.
I think that all of the above
I think that all of the above people that are condemning Fr. Pavone is terrible. He's the only priest that I've heard of that preaches from the pulpit about abortion. I've been to EWTN when Fr. Pavone was there saying the Mass and he was just as he was every time I've seen him on T. V.
These people, especially the one that was so ugly in his comment I would not want to know. Fr. Pavone is doing God's work - I would trust him and have trusted him with contributions and I will continue to admire him for the work that he's been doing. No other priest, and I know quite a few because I travel a lot and have some that are good friends of mine, but they have never preached about abortion. I wouldn't doubt that these ugly people have never watched how an abortion is preformed. I can't even say that I think that it would have been better if their mother had aborted them. There's a spiritual warfare going on and these people must be on the devil's side of this war. They don't sound like they are doing God's work. Fr. Pavone is. Fr. Pavone would not do anything like stealing money. He's God's representative. God bless him.
God Bless Father Pavone and
God Bless Father Pavone and all his work.
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