Laicization and the permanent deaconate

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Here is the problem according to the OP. Timeline in order: he was ordained a transitional deacon, he was laicized, THEN HE MARRIED. He was not married when he was ordained, so he made of promise to remain celibate. He either was or was not released from that promise, but he nonetheless married after being ordained. In my limited experience, that is one of the “circumstances” that Father David talks about that leads to the Vatican putting more restrictions on the ability to engage in future ministries.

Rome apparently denied the return of his faculties.
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I think we can presume that the OP was released from the promise of celibacy, and that he married validly. I rather doubt he’d be asking the question if he attempted marriage invalidly.

And that’s been my (limited) experience as well: if a laicized cleric does get married, the chances of being restored to the clerical state go down considerably.

However, the restriction of not being able to participate in any ministry or apostolate, such as catechism teacher or reader are usually only imposed if the laicized cleric was guilty of some kind of offense (crimes against the 6th commandment or embezzlement to name a few).
 
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Interesting. I know for a man who become a permanent deacon, if he is unmarried when ordained, he cannot get married (and if he is married when ordained and his wife should pre-decease him, he can not remarry - although I do believe he can ask for this from the Vatican if there is a need).
 
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Mi_Rose said:
He was not allowed to continue formation to be a permanent deacon. That is all I know. I sure Fr David knows the rules better than I do. I just know what happened in that particular case. There may be more to it than I know.
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There had to be something else. The mere fact that he choose not to be ordained a priest cannot prevent him from continuing as a deacon.
Can. 1038 A deacon who refuses to be promoted to the presbyterate cannot be prohibited from the exercise of the order received unless he is prevented by a canonical impediment or another grave cause to be evaluated in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or competent major superior.
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There is only one order of deacon. There is no “permanent diaconate” and “transitional diaconate” those are merely tracks. A deacon is a deacon.
 
I am not sure I understand the difference between being released from a promise or a vow…Can someone please explain…

Thanks
 
Blessedwithfive said:
I am not sure I understand the difference between being released from a promise or a vow…Can someone please explain…

Thanks
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A candidate for diaconate makes a promise of celibacy immediately before the actual ordination.

Canon law makes a distinction between a promise and a vow.

Being “released” from the promise means that a legitimate authority (in this case, the Holy See) makes a decision that the man is no longer bound by that promise. The practical effect is that he is now free to marry.
 
Do you know the circumstances why he was denied?
 
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I read about a priest who was ordained a deacon one day and the next day he was ordained a priest.
 
This happens with the Anglican Ordinariate. They were previously ordained?
 
commenter said:
This happens with the Anglican Ordinariate. They were previously ordained?
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No. They were not previously ordained. Ordination cannot ever be repeated (for the same order).

Because they have experience in pastoral ministry, it’s not necessary for them to have an extended diaconate. Therefore, a former Anglican can be ordained a deacon one day and then ordained a priest the next day.
 
Contact your diocese. I would speculate that you would be required to go through the entire deacon formation process. Part of the process of diaconal formation is not only the discernment of the deacon and his spouse but also the discernment of the community in which he belongs. When I was formed there were 4 of my former classmates who didn’t finish formation because of the discernment of the community. I am sure quite a bit has changed in your life from “years ago” so it would make complete sense from my opinion to assume your would need to complete the entire formation program in your diocese…In mine it was 7 years.
 
A man who was ordained a deacon 15 years ago is still a deacon. I don’t see what your point is? A deacon is a deacon is a deacon. Same prayers ordination same ordained ministry. Same Sacrament of Holy Orders. The word permanent deacon is not really an official term. I had a friend who thought he was a permanent deacon for 30 years. Then one day his wife died and a few years later he found himself in seminary for the priesthood and eventual ordination to the priesthood. His transitional diaconate lasted 30 years one could say.
 
deacon3b said:
A man who was ordained a deacon 15 years ago is still a deacon. I don’t see what your point is? A deacon is a deacon is a deacon. Same prayers ordination same ordained ministry. Same Sacrament of Holy Orders. The word permanent deacon is not really an official term. I had a friend who thought he was a permanent deacon for 30 years. Then one day his wife died and a few years later he found himself in seminary for the priesthood and eventual ordination to the priesthood. His transitional diaconate lasted 30 years one could say.
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It’s a misuse of terms. What’s really being said is that the man petitioned to be returned to the clerical state, and thereby exercise his diaconal ministry again. That’s what was denied.
 
porthos11 said:
It’s a misuse of terms. What’s really being said is that the man petitioned to be returned to the clerical state, and thereby exercise his diaconal ministry again. That’s what was denied.
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2 different situations.

One (the OP) is about a deacon who was laicized, then married, who now wants to inquire about returning to the clerical state. He hasn’t petitioned anything yet, so nothing has been denied.

The other one is about a deacon who decided not to become a priest. He was laicized. It seems (or at least a poster thinks) that he was laicized because he did not want to become a priest OR that he was denied the opportunity to continue as a deacon (without actually being formally laicized, which requires a rescript from Rome). That doesn’t make sense because it’s specifically prohibited in canon law. A deacon who decides not to be ordained a priest cannot be removed from diaconal ministry for that reason alone.
 
how were you able to get married? I thought once ordained, deacon or priest, means no marriage; though deacons can already be married.
 
I was not sure he had been laicized before but checked with my husband and he said he had. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Sorry for the serial posting. I just checked with a canon lawyer. He was ummarried when he became a deacon. He was laiczed. He got married. He could not continue to act as a deacon because he was unmarried when he was. ordained. Rome could have dispensed that but they chose not to.
He might have gotten the dispensation if he had had a good canon lawyer.(The last part is the canon lawyer’s opinion.)
 
Mi_Rose said:
Sorry for the serial posting. I just checked with a canon lawyer. He was ummarried when he became a deacon. He was laiczed. He got married. He could not continue to act as a deacon because he was unmarried when he was. ordained. Rome could have dispensed that but they chose not to.
He might have gotten the dispensation if he had had a good canon lawyer.(The last part is the canon lawyer’s opinion.)
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OK. That changes things completely.

If he had simply decided not to be ordained a priest, he could have continued as a deacon.

Once he became laicized, he lost that right. The addition of getting married (presumably after a dispensation from the promise) makes it even less likely.
 
The canon lawyer I checked with was my husband. He remembered the guy and could explain the case much better than I did. It does help that the first thing he was asked to do after he was ordained was to go to Catholic University for a licentiate in Canon Law.
 
Mi_Rose said:
… It does help that the first thing he was asked to do after he was ordained was to go to Catholic University for a licentiate in Canon Law.
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Which one? Your husband or the deacon you’ve been discussing?
 
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