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h1478971
Guest
how can a priest leave the ministry were he to get tired and or regret getting ordination?
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Some priests take sabbaticals or go into further studies.
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Anathama_Sit
Guest
Greetings H1478971,
Resignation. See the Code of Canon Law Canons 187-189. Actually see Chapter II Loss of Ecclesiastical Offices Canons 184-196.
God Bless.
Anathama Sit
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puzzleannie
Guest
he has to have a much better, more grave reason than that to get permission to return to the lay state.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Hahah, I didn’t understand the question fully. Sorry 
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Matthew_Holford
Guest
If a priests wants to leave the active ministry, depending on his age or circumstances, he may be able to take early retirement or go on a sabbatical. If he wants to leave the priesthood he can apply for laicization. This needs to be granted by Rome. Because of the ontological character that is placed on his soul at ordination he can never actually stop being a priest. However, he cannot do anything a priest can do except in certain emergency situations.
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Florida123
Guest
Why does celibacy continue?
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Joe_Kelley
Guest
It may or may not continue depending on the constraints put on his withdrawal. Constraints vary to meet the specific circumstances. I have heard that release from the vow of celibacy is often given when the priest leaves voluntarily, but seldom when he is removed for misconduct.
I now a couple of local cases where the priest has married and remained in good standing in the Church. On the other hand a high school classmate left because he disagreed with the changes after VII. He was told he could marry if he moved out of the diocese. He refused the constraint as nit picking and left the Church.
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Matthew_Holford
Guest
Laicization means that the priest can no longer do the things a priest does and cannot dress as a priest. For the most part he would receive no further financial support from the Church but there are exceptions. The laicization process doesn’t automatically release the priest from his promise of perpetual celibacy. He can be released from this by the Pope. I believe Blessed John Paull II only released laicized priests from celibacy infrequently. I don’t know what HH Benedict XVI does in this regard.
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Annabelle_Marie
Guest
Just curious…what if a priest retired…at the normal age…and then was receiving retirement and then at that point wanted to marry. Would he still receive his retirement or would all that be taken away at that point?
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Matthew_Holford
Guest
I’ll post you an answer with the disclaimer that I don’t stand in any position of authority to give you a definitive response.
So, my shot at answering you. Even though retired he would still be a priest entitled to do those things only a priest can do and not just in emergency situations. Retired priests often help out because of the shortage of priests. If a retired priest wanted to marry then he would probably have to apply for laicization, as would an active priest, and he would need to released from his promise of celibacy. In these circumstances I don’t believe the Church would pay him a pension. I suppose it depends on his circumstances. While in general the Church will no longer financially support a ‘former’ priest it will not leave him destitute.
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puzzleannie
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are you speaking of a pension? that has not to do with his priesthood but with his employment. If he was diocesan priest on a salary who paid into a pension plan or non-profit retirement plan, he would draw benefits in any case. SS would not be affected either. If he was a member of a religious order who asked for and was granted release from his vows and return to the lay state, no he could not claim any arrangment the order makes to care for retired priests. A priest is not laicized simply because he retires, he remains a priest and has all the faculties of a priest, and most retired priests still serve actively in many ways even if they don’t have the responsibility of a parish. A priest who wishes to marry must first receive permission to return to the lay state, then petition to be released from his vow of celibacy. retirement has nothing to do with that aspect.
is there some specific case that is prompting these questions? the answers are only general and speculative and it would not help much to apply them to a specific priest.
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Annabelle_Marie
Guest
Just curious…no specific case…
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NewEnglandPriest
Guest
Well, he’d still have any IRA/403(b) savings/investments he had made throughout his priesthood. The pension from the diocese is a different matter. Once “vested” certain labor laws might come into play.
However, all that being said, I doubt a priest in his 70’s would be released from celibacy…
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Matthew_Holford
Guest
I infer that the ‘pension issue’ may be dependent of the civil laws of the priest’s location.
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Joe_Kelley
Guest
I don’t know how the priest’s pensions are handled. If they are in the same pension plan as lay employees, then it appears that the fund is a purely civil matter at least in the
Diocese of Orange. My wife gets the information on her pension directly from the fund like any other investment.
Diocese of Orange. My wife gets the information on her pension directly from the fund like any other investment.
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