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Frank Pavone, a leading U.S. Catholic voice against abortion and founder of the group Priests for Life, has been defrocked on direct orders from the Vatican for disobeying his superiors and “blasphemous” comments on social media.
Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Vatican’s papal nuncio and chief diplomatic representative in the U.S., revealed the decision on Mr. Pavone in a Dec. 13 letter to U.S. Catholic bishops. The letter, obtained by the Catholic News Agency, said the move was made Nov. 9 and there was no avenue for appeal.
The 63-year-old priest has been one of the loudest voices in the American abortion debate, at one time posting on social media a video of an aborted fetus that he had placed on the altar.
He also has been an outspoken supporter of pro-life politicians such as former President Donald Trump and a harsh critic of President Biden, Hillary Clinton and other Democratic politicians who favor abortion rights. His Twitter page shows him shaking hands with a smiling Mr. Trump.
In the letter to the U.
