Slouching Towards Honesty

Father Pavone is beginning to sound like any of a number of Catholic bloggers who regularly beg for cash to feed themselves, their birds, their neighbor's cats, and what-have-you.

September 27, 2011
(Thank you for your support of Priests for Life. If you already responded to the following appeal online, I appreciate your support. This email is intended for those who did not respond when we sent it previously.) 
Dear Steve and Veronica,
I sent you this urgent email because I have some important issues that concern you, me, our work together at Priests for Life, and the entire pro-life movement here in the United States.
In light of all that’s happened in the past couple weeks – and again, I’ll discuss this with you in just a moment – it is vital that you maintain your unconditional support for Priests for Life and the fight to end legalized abortion-on-demand in America.

Right now that means doing whatever is necessary to click here and send Priests for Life the largest gift you can possibly make today.

Not an hour from now.  Not later this evening.  Not tomorrow.  But right now!

Notice that Father has finally taken the opportunity to clarify his bishop's motivations.

4. While Bishop Zurek wants to clear up any and all misunderstandings, he made it clear that he does not want the work of Priests for Life to be harmed.  

Wow - that was generous of him. 


It only took him to .... what? .... the fourth or fifth appeal for funds before he laid that out?


So, for all of you who are laying malicious allegations at the bishop's door, Father Pavone is saying you should stop. 


According to Father Pavone, his bishop has no ulterior motives, just genuine concern about Father Pavone.


Now, Father Pavone has still NOT explained why anyone should trust him after he:

1. attempted to found a religious order that Rome herself ended up having to suppress,
2. collected money for a seminary he promised to build but never did,
3. collected money for seminarians who came to him to be formed, but with whom he almost never met,
4. collected money in July, August and September for a 501(c)(3) that turns out to have lost it's tax-free status in June.
5. has come up $1.4 million short despite having been given tens of millions by gullible donors.

I'm sure there's an excellent explanation for all that. I'm sure he can explain: 

• where the missing seminary money went, 
• why he let the tax-exempt status lapse, 
• why he didn't tell donors the truth about the seminary funds, 
• or tell his donors the truth about the missing tax-exempt status, 
• or even the truth about his rocky relationship with his own bishop.

And if you pay him enough money, maybe he'll tell you what all those explanations are.


But I doubt it.




UPDATE:
Oh, LOOK!
He's asking for money again today:

September 28, 2011

....As you can see, there is a lot of work for us to do. And it can’t possibly get done without your immediate help today!   So please click here and provide as much financial support to Rachel’s Vineyard as you possibly can. 

His bishop obviously isn't back yet...


UPDATE II:
Oh, LOOK!
He's got his friend (Troy Newman, Operation Rescue) asking for money on his behalf:

September 29, 2011

That said …… I urge you in the strongest way I can to click here and send Priests for Life a much-needed contribution!And please do this RIGHT NOW … before you hit the “delete” button and go on to your next email.

And you know he's serious because the post was titled "It's About the Babies".
It's also about four major appeals for money in less than 2000 words.

Three days, three appeals for cash.

Update III:
Sigh.... At least they took the weekend off...

October 4, 2011That said …… I urge you in the strongest way I can to click here and send Priests for Life a much-needed contribution!And please do this RIGHT NOW … before you hit the “delete” button and go on to your next email.