Rest in Peace Pro-Life Champion: Fr. Frank Pavone Praises Judge William Clark

It will be my honor, along with our Executive Director, Janet Morana, and our Vice-Chairman, Anthony DeStefano, to represent so many of our colleagues in the pro-life movement as we participate in the funeral on Wednesday of our great friend and national hero, Judge William Clark. This was a man who served our nation constantly, whether in the key positions he held in President Ronald Reagan's cabinet, or in the countless ways in which, behind the scenes, he defended the very principles on which the nation was founded.

P>SHANDON, CA  (Priests for life) - Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, issued the following statement on Monday:

"Our Priests for Life team learned with sadness of the passing of Judge William P. Clark, Jr. on Saturday. This was a man who served our nation constantly, whether in the key positions he held in President Ronald Reagan's cabinet, or in the countless ways in which, behind the scenes, he defended the very principles on which the nation was founded.

"He was a great friend of Priests for Life and especially of our administrative team. We got to know him in the late 1990's and he invited us frequently to his ranch. He opened his property in Shandon, and the beautiful chapel he built on it ("Chapel Hill"), to the pro-life movement, and several times a year we hosted private retreats there for national pro-life leaders.

"These retreats built up the unity of the movement and enabled leaders to come together in confidential settings to build up relationships of trust, which led to fruitful collaboration. We look forward to the continuation of these retreats.

"Judge Clark served as national security adviser. But along with his role in that position under President Reagan, he fought for our nation's security by fighting for the right to life, on which all other rights and security depend. He understood the priority of this issue, and lent his advice, encouragement, and personal involvement to the initiatives that we in the pro-life leadership would undertake.

"He and his wife Joan made a public profession of promises as a Missionaries of the Gospel of Life, which is the pro-life spirituality program of Priests for Life.

"It will be my honor, along with our Executive Director, Janet Morana, and our Vice-Chairman, Anthony DeStefano, to represent so many of our colleagues in the pro-life movement as we participate in the funeral on Wednesday of our great friend and national hero, Judge William Clark."

For a video tribute of Fr. Frank to Judge Clark, go here. 

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Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.