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PDF versionCongregation can more easily laicize priests
Jun. 03, 2009
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI has granted the Congregation for Clergy new powers to dismiss from the priesthood and release from the obligation of celibacy priests who are living with women, who have abandoned their ministry for more than five years or who have engaged in seriously scandalous behavior.
The new powers do not apply to cases involving the sexual abuse of minors by a priest; those cases continue to be subject to special rules and procedures overseen by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The new faculties were announced by Cardinal Claudio Hummes, prefect of the clergy congregation, in an April 18 letter to the world's bishops. Catholic News Service obtained a copy of the letter in early June.
Cardinal Hummes told CNS June 3 that the new, quicker administrative procedure for dismissing priests was prompted by "many situations where canon law did not seem adequate for meeting new problems."
As an example, the cardinal said the 1983 Code of Canon Law made no provision for a bishop to initiate a process to laicize a priest who had abandoned his ministry.
Usually when a priest leaves the ministry of his own accord, he informs his bishop and sooner or later will request a formal dispensation from the obligation of celibacy, the cardinal said.
But others "leave, they marry [in a civil ceremony], they have children. In these cases, the bishops did not have a way to proceed because it was up to the person who left," he said.
"But if the one who left is not interested (in regularizing his situation), the good of the church and the good of the priest who left is that he be dispensed so that he would be in a correct situation, especially if he has children," the cardinal said.
Cardinal Hummes said a priest's "children have the right to have a father who is in a correct situation in the eyes of God and with his own conscience. So helping these people is one of the reasons there are new procedures. In these cases, the initiative begins with the bishop."
The cardinal said he did not have statistics on how many priests have abandoned their ministry without seeking laicization, but it was a problem bishops have raised with the congregation.
Cardinal Hummes' letter to the world's bishops said that while the church teaches that properly performed sacraments are valid whether or not the priest officiating is living in a situation of holiness, the discipline of the Latin-rite Catholic Church is to insist that priests strive for moral perfection and to imitate Christ, who was chaste.
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"The church, being the spouse of Jesus Christ, wishes to be loved in the total and exclusive manner with which Jesus Christ loved her as her head and spouse. Priestly celibacy is, therefore, the gift of oneself in and with Christ to his church, and expresses the service of the priest to the church in and with the Lord," the cardinal wrote.
"The vast majority of priests live out their priestly identity daily with serenity and exercise faithfully their proper ministry," he wrote, but when situations of scandal arise a bishop must be able to act quickly and firmly.
The cardinal's letter dealt separately with the situation of priests who simply abandoned their ministry for "a period of more than five consecutive years." It also addressed the more serious cases of those priests who have attempted or contracted a civil marriage, are having a consensual sexual relationship with a woman or have violated another church or moral law in a way that caused serious scandal.
"Situations of grave lack of discipline on the part of some clergy have occurred in which the attempts to resolve the problems by the pastoral and canonical means foreseen in the Code of Canon Law are shown to be insufficient or unsuitable to repair scandal, to restore justice or to reform the offender," the letter said.
In every case, however, Cardinal Hummes' letter insisted that the local bishop carry out a careful investigation of the facts and, when the evidence confirms wrongdoing, "he should proceed formally to correct or admonish the accused."
"Yet when this does not suffice to repair the scandal, restore justice and bring about the rehabilitation of the person, the bishop should proceed with the imposition of penalties," the letter said, outlining the obligatory steps to be taken.
At every stage of the process, the cardinal told CNS: "The right of a priest to defend himself is sacred, including in these cases. The right to defend oneself is internationally recognized and always preserved."
Prior to Pope Benedict's approval of the new norms Jan. 30, bishops seeking to dismiss a priest for abandoning the ministry or attempting marriage had to initiate a formal juridical trial against the person.
In the interview, Cardinal Hummes said that although the procedures have been streamlined, "each case will be reviewed individually, including with the aim of ensuring that the rights of the person interested were protected."
Dear friends, sisters and
Dear friends, sisters and brothers,
Just wondering, okay?:
This article might be summarized in this citation thusly:
'"In every case, however, Cardinal Hummes' letter insisted that the local bishop carry out a careful investigation of the facts and, when the evidence confirms wrongdoing, "he should proceed formally to correct or admonish the accused."
"Yet when this does not suffice to repair the scandal, restore justice and bring about the rehabilitation of the person, the bishop should proceed with the imposition of penalties," the letter said, outlining the obligatory steps to be taken.'
Hypothetical case:
We have witnessed through these sacred NCR pages the agony of a highly politicized and unpastoral Bishop Morlino dismiss precipitously a good and Faithful, veteran and fruitful servant of the Church without cause.
Can we easily imagine such highly politicized bishops taking these actions, in the name of "justice" and "rehabilitation," against a good and Faithful priest who refuses to support ardently enough the GOP candidate for US presidency, for example, or who dares administer the Blessed Sacrament of Holy Communion under one or both species to the alternate candidate's suspected supporters?
just wondering,
your poorest servant,
frere charles
Pray for our Priests!
Pray for our Priests! Rejoice in Pentecost! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The Paraclete has come!
God Bless and care for our
God Bless and care for our clergy.1
Maybe they should (re)read
Maybe they should (re)read the Code of Canon Law
Either the article is unclear or I am missing something. As I understand it, the current Code of Canon Law does allow (and encourage) the local bishop to investigate when a priest (in my words) misbehaves, and then to take appropriate actions, which ranges from reprimanding the man, give him a penance, remove him form active ministry; depending on the gravity of the offense, the bishop may could turn the case over to the CDF and/or begin the process of dismissing the man from the priesthood. The bishops already have this power and the Code of Canon Law provides the process for this (including the rights of the priest). If the man leaves w/o permission, that is enough to initiate an investigation (breaking his promise of obedience), attempt a civil marriage, commit adultery, etc...these things (and more) are all mentioned in the Code as ground to initiate investigations, penalties, which includes removal from the priesthood.
So how is this "new" introduction be "new?" Am I missing something? Perhaps the "five-year" period for inactive ministry (and living in sin) is new...but does it really matter if the guy (the priest) has abandoned his priesthood?
Perhaps someone needs to (re)read the Code of Canon Law...instead of trying to reinvent the wheel...
"The new powers do not apply
"The new powers do not apply to cases involving the sexual abuse of minors by a priest; those cases continue to be subject to special rules and procedures overseen by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith."
Yeah, I'll bet!
Bishops and Superiors are in
Bishops and Superiors are in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and as provided in the Canon Law should be lovingly pastoral to those who share in the same priesthood of Christ. Unfortunately, for some personal and selfish reasons, some of them seeminly so much Authority intoxicated, naturally dislike some priests and above all politicize the Holy Priesthood of Christ, forget that the priesthood is both a call and a gift which must be appreciated. These Shepherd allow human wickedness eat up the pastoral charity of fraternal correction (if there is any signs of misbehavior in morality)bluntly refuse to initiate any dialogue, most times money hunger and even privately womanizers themselves. What happens to cases where the priest is very honest, holy and traditional yet the Bishop or Superior who tends to be very Liberal and allows aliturgical inventions and non-Roman Catholic doctrinal teachings in his diocese/Congregation.
In my humble opinion, there should be dialogue, fraternal relationship/correction, pastoral prudence/charity, love and acceptance/appreciation of the sacred gift of priesthood.
If the prieshood were one's own earthly father's business, I personally think that many would not have accepted the call.
Those who have mistakingly thought they were also called to the priesthood and after discerning that they were in a wrong vocation, realized it should be allowed to be led to their approppriate calling. This must be done with pastoral prudence and charity. Priests are men gifted and called out of fellow men and women, although raised to the presbyterate just as the bishops were raised to the episcopate, notably remain human. I am aware that being human is no excuse for any priest. Every one must try hard to live according to his/her call.
This strikes me as a tempest
This strikes me as a tempest in a teapot.
I would wager that it has everything to do with an impossible
case-load (interrupting two-hour lunches for pasta and chianti
at the cafes of Rome) and nothing to do with much else.
The exodus of priests under various circumstances probably demands
much more bandwidth to deliver the final symbolic slaps on the wrist.
Bless Pope Benedict XVI. for
Bless Pope Benedict XVI. for reconizing that "children have a right to have a father who is in a correct situation in the eyes of God and with his own conscience. Bless Cardinal Claudio Hummes for implementing reform easing laicication of priests living with womem. Unfortunately scandalous behavior occurs. I don't know personally anybody in that predicament. Lets include them in our prayer anyway.
Please explain why not all innocent children conceived in sin don't deserve the right to participate in first communion, to serve at the altar, etc. as their playmates or classmates do? It troubles me that lovely little kids are punished for their fathers and mothers' misbehavior. Discrimination impairs our Church's credibility and scared good neigbors, potential and former parishioners away. Include them in your direly needed prayers if you please.
Or, be banned from attending
Or, be banned from attending Catholic school.
This appears to be directed
This appears to be directed more at streamlining the bishops ability to initiate a dispensation process in order to laicize a priest who has left but who hasn't requested the dispensation themselves. My guess is that it is allowing the bishops to go after those renegade (e.g CITI) clergy who have left but who still wish to exercise ministry apart from episcopal permission.
Folks, this is about limiting
Folks, this is about limiting liability. The 1983 code prescribes a bishop is to care for any priest in penury, even resigned priests. When our bishop was asked to help with a resigned priest who was homeless, he grudgingly went along, making the comment that if Fr. X had been laicized, the bishop wouldn't have owed him "a goddamn dime". When the dollar sign comes in, the cross goes out!
Everybody wants to rule the
Everybody wants to rule the world. The all male hierarchy of good Mother church, teaches itself that they are the iron rod of God. How are these men affiliated with The Bilderbergers?
Rules, canon laws, codes,
Rules, canon laws, codes, dispensations, authorities, procedures...Whoa! What a pile of --------! Whatever happened to common sense, compassion, forgiveness, love...? I thought celibacy was considered a gift, not a law! Lawyers! God save us. Why wasn't this same detailed, scrupulous, anal-retentive attention given to the poor kids whose souls were murdered by predatory priests? Why weren't those priests punished, laicized, reported to the authorities, and banished for commiting real CRIMES? WWJD?
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