How should faithful Catholics respond to the Pavone Affair, and second, what should Frank Pavone himself do or not do?
By Jennifer Roback Morse at Crisis Magazine
The laicization of and sexual harassment charges against Frank Pavone have deeply disturbed faithful pro-life Catholics. Online discussions include armchair analyses of what his religious superiors and the Board of Priests for Life should have done. Some people want to know why these charges are coming up at this particular time. Still others want to know why the Vatican is singling out Pavone for discipline while ignoring other problematic priests.
Without dismissing these legitimate questions, I would like to focus on two questions. First, how should faithful Catholics respond to the Pavone Affair, and second, what should Frank Pavone himself do or not do?
But first, let’s recap the facts known to the public as of this writing.
On December 17, 2022, it was reported that Pavone had been dismissed from the priesthood by the Vatican. Then The Pillar, on January 24, 2023, reported that an unnamed woman employee of Priests for Life charged that then-Fr. Pavone had continually sexually harassed her years ago. This article also claimed that additional women had filed similar complaints with the Amarillo diocese. Then, on February 8, The Pillar reported that another woman, Mary Worthington, had similar experiences with Fr. Pavone. Other outlets, including Catholic News Agency, Our Sunday Visitor, and ChurchMilitant have also published stories. The Vatican’s December announcement removing Pavone from the clerical state did not mention sexual misconduct.
I personally find the women’s testimonies credible. Multiple women have independently told detailed stories, which are consistent with each other. Some of them told other people about the harassment while it was going on. Pavone’s accusers aren’t seeking money or fame or any political benefit. This contrasts with Christine Blasey Ford’s vague claims against Brett Kavanaugh during the high-stakes battle over a Supreme Court seat—claims which had no corroborating witnesses. She told no one about them at the time they happened.
Even more damaging to my eyes is the statement Pavone made in his own defense:
Of course, I’m sure there have been times in my life where I’ve somehow missed the mark and unintentionally made someone feel uncomfortable. I’m sorry to anyone who might have ever taken offense in such moments.
Notice that this statement does not deny he did the things of which he’s been accused. He’s sorry someone took offense. In my opinion, this is not the statement of an innocent man.
Nor does the statement from Priests for Life to The Pillar help Pavone’s cause, in my judgment.
Any complaints Fr. Frank was made aware of were handled with respect for all involved and under the supervision of the bishop of Amarillo and were resolved satisfactorily. The bishop expressed confidence in Fr. Frank’s good character and suitability for ministry, as these letters of good standing indicate.
This raises the question, “satisfactorily for whom?” As the woman who made the complaint told The Pillar:
As seems to be true of many adult cases, my case was not handled with the full support and respect that a survivor truly deserves, and it was not resolved, period. Let alone to my satisfaction.
The evidence is credible enough that former employees and former board members are calling on Priests for Life to launch an independent investigation.
Based on all this information, faithful Catholics have been torn as to what to think. I have heard numerous people comment on the sexual harassment issues, saying, in effect, “Fr. Pavone would never do a thing like that, because he has done so much to save babies.” Reflecting on this statement and the feelings behind it can teach Catholics who love our Church something of lasting value. This episode can potentially help us not only with the Pavone Affair but also with the clergy sex abuse crisis more generally.
Let’s think about this statement, “Fr. Pavone would never do a thing like that, because he has done so much to save babies.” Perhaps you have felt this or said things like this yourself about Pavone or some other accused priest. Let’s take a step back and imagine someone making a similar statement about a priest we aren’t attached to. Maybe we don’t like the priest, or don’t agree with him on some important matters.
We hear someone make the same opening statement, “Fr. Feelgood would never do a thing like that because…” and then they fill in the blank with something else: “He is so nice.” “He is so funny and charismatic.” The logical structure of their statement is the same as the statement another person might make: “Fr. Faithful would never do a thing like that because he says the Latin Mass.” What do we make of this?
About the Ruth Institute
The Ruth Institute is a global non-profit organization, leading an international interfaith coalition to defend the family and build a civilization of love.
Jennifer Roback Morse has a Ph.D. in economics and has taught at Yale and George Mason University. She is the author of The Sexual State and Love and Economics – It Takes a Family to Raise a Village.
To schedule an interview with Dr. Morse, contact media@ruthinstitute.org.
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