Anyone can become religious and attend church. The Church has changed the rules on who can become a priest since the child abuse scandals. So it isn’t possible for a sex offender to become a priest. If you mean religious orders they all screen for sex offenders and do background checks.Hi,
I am wondering if the Catholic Church would allow an ex-sex offender to become religious or Priest? Please let me know where to find such information.
Thank you,
Brian
What is Papist Orthodox? Is it part of the Eastern Catholic Rite or Orthodox?Probably not something with a public ministry. I am a lay catechist and I have to submit a police record proving I have no history of being a sex offender to be able to teach. Priests will probably have an even tougher requirement. Though I can imagine if the person is joining a monastery or something, and he/she does not have a public ministry, perhaps. But that would be up to the Superior or whoever the decision maker is.
You would be hard-pressed to see that they would put such a public sinner back into public. They possibly could be priest, but they would have to prove it with years of purity and discernment. I would say such a man would have to wait 7 years before the Church would consider such a person for a public role, such as priest.Hi,
I am wondering if the Catholic Church would allow an ex-sex offender to become religious or Priest? Please let me know where to find such information.
Thank you,
Brian
How do you define an ex-sex offender? Someone who has not been caught lately?I am wondering if the Catholic Church would allow an ex-sex offender to become religious or Priest?
I used to work with sex offenders.You would be hard-pressed to see that they would put such a public sinner back into public. They possibly could be priest, but they would have to prove it with years of purity and discernment. I would say such a man would have to wait 7 years before the Church would consider such a person for a public role, such as priest.
They probably could be a religious, though I think that they would say the issue of impurity would be a stumbling block. Orders would demand that the applicant show years of purity.
In short, yes it is possible, however you must be most pure, regain your tarnished reputation with effort, and stop from all such impurity.
I would recommend that this person see a priest for spiritual direction, and consistently and constantly, such as 2 times a month. The priest must know how to impart wisdom on how to gain and retain purity. Ask around.
Tell this man: Prove that you have been pure, and are pure, for a sufficient length of time. That is how you shall serve God best right now.
Are you talking about a young man who is on the sex offender registry because he had consensual sex when he was 19 with a young woman who said she was 18 and turned out to be 15? Or a young man who was caught relieving his bladder outside? Those might have a slim chance of being able to become a Priest or join a religious order, but if you are speaking of a rapist, a molester, or some other vile conviction as an offender, NO WAY!!! Especially in light of the abuse scandals!You would be hard-pressed to see that they would put such a public sinner back into public. They possibly could be priest, but they would have to prove it with years of purity and discernment. I would say such a man would have to wait 7 years before the Church would consider such a person for a public role, such as priest.
They probably could be a religious, though I think that they would say the issue of impurity would be a stumbling block. Orders would demand that the applicant show years of purity.
In short, yes it is possible, however you must be most pure, regain your tarnished reputation with effort, and stop from all such impurity.
I would recommend that this person see a priest for spiritual direction, and consistently and constantly, such as 2 times a month. The priest must know how to impart wisdom on how to gain and retain purity. Ask around.
Tell this man: Prove that you have been pure, and are pure, for a sufficient length of time. That is how you shall serve God best right now.
If God can convert great sinners, why not these men? Who is to say if they have proven their loyalty after years of practicing virtuous purity that they cannot be priests or religious?Are you talking about a young man who is on the sex offender registry because he had consensual sex when he was 19 with a young woman who said she was 18 and turned out to be 15? Or a young man who was caught relieving his bladder outside? Those might have a slim chance of being able to become a Priest or join a religious order, but if you are speaking of a rapist, a molester, or some other vile conviction as an offender, NO WAY!!! Especially in light of the abuse scandals!
Yet with loss of purity, is loss of soul, friend. No man who is impure can be priest religious or truly layman even (for we as laymen are to remain in a state of grace). By lust are more men than by any other sin cast into hell. If God can affect the conversion of great sinners, why can He not convert these men? Why can they not after proving their loyalty by years of virtue and purity be priests or religious?I used to work with sex offenders.
There is A LOT more to sex offenders than simply having issues with purity. There is no such thing as an “ex-sex offender”. At best, they can be at a “low risk to re-offend” and I highly doubt one would be able to find a psychiatrist who specializes in working with sex offenders who will sign off saying they’re cured. The other problem is the methods they use to treat sex offenders. One of the most common ways of doing this for men who have inappropriate attractions, let us say, is to “re-train” the person via pornography and masturbation. Obviously there are some severe moral complications there that would prohibit such a treatment.
Certainly they can convert and be good examples within the community of God’s forgiveness and the effect of God’s grace in people’s lives.If God can convert great sinners, why not these men? Who is to say if they have proven their loyalty after years of practicing virtuous purity that they cannot be priests or religious?
God can do anything, including convert a great sinner. But ask yourself this: Would you want a former child rapist around your young child? Whether they’ve been healed or not (and only God knows their heart and intentions). But more important to everyone’s safety, I want to know why someone who committed such a heinous crime is out of prison and in a capacity to join a religious order or become a priest in the first place.If God can convert great sinners, why not these men? Who is to say if they have proven their loyalty after years of practicing virtuous purity that they cannot be priests or religious?
Be charitable of will, but prudent!
God Bless You!
My guess is no. Even to be a Big Brother of America, I had to undergo an FBI background check, fingerprints and all. I would expect that with all the unfortunate stuff which has happened in the past decade or two, that the standards for background checks and who can hold such positions have been made more rigorous. The recidivism rate is just too high with sex offenders to risk it.Hi,
I am wondering if the Catholic Church would allow an ex-sex offender to become religious or Priest? Please let me know where to find such information.
Thank you,
Brian
This comes down to mental illness as well. This would require a miracle that can’t even be confirmed and validated. How would you know with 100% certainty the person will not re-offend? Would you be willing to sign your name to a letter stating the person is cured of his sexual deviant behavior and mental illness and is of no risk to anyone?Yet with loss of purity, is loss of soul, friend. No man who is impure can be priest religious or truly layman even (for we as laymen are to remain in a state of grace). By lust are more men than by any other sin cast into hell. If God can affect the conversion of great sinners, why can He not convert these men? Why can they not after proving their loyalty by years of virtue and purity be priests or religious?
God Bless You!