Pope Francis has directed that a radical anti-choice priest and a former advisor to Donald Trump be immediately defrocked for post blasphemous comments on social media and other offenses against the Church, the New York Times reports.

A leading anti-choice activist, Frank Pavone founded the advocacy group Priests for Life, a faction of priests that believed in using extreme non-violent tactics to end the medical abortion procedure.  The group had long been criticized within the Church and the priesthood for questionable tactics and more questionable financial practices. In 2014, New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who reviewed Priests for Life’s operations, stated that the group needed to undertake significant reforms but that Pavone had been resisting necessary reforms.

A letter written by the Church’s Dicastery of the Clergy, which governs actions of priests not affiliated with a specific priestly order, stated, “This action was taken after Father Pavone was found guilty in canonical proceedings of blasphemous communications on social media, and of persistent disobedience of the lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop.”

Neither the letter nor the Church has specified what communications Pavone posted that prompted the defrocking.  Priests for Life had taken an active role in advocating and lobbying for the end of the Roe v Wade decision that legalized access to abortions in the United States in 1972.  Pavone was a frequent speaker at anti-choice rallies.

Having served as an advisor to Trump during his presidency and campaign, Pavone may have also crossed a line with superiors in the Church for his frequent vociferous support for Trump’s Big Lie, the false claim that voting and ballot counting shenanigans cost him the popular vote victory in 2016 as well as the election in 2020.  No evidence has ever been found to support claims, although Pavone and other Trump supporters continue to profess their faith in his word.