Priests who retire?

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Stephentlig

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If a Priest retires, does he still retain his Holy Orders?

Pax Christi
Stephen
 
Stephentlig said:
If a Priest retires, does he still retain his Holy Orders?

Pax Christi
Stephen
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Yes.

**As in the case of Baptism and Confirmation this share in Christ’s office is granted once for all. The sacrament of Holy Orders, like the other two, confers an indelible spiritual character and cannot be repeated or conferred temporarily.
CCC 1582

It is true that someone validly ordained can, for grave reasons, be discharged from the obligations and functions linked to ordination, or can be forbidden to exercise them; but he cannot become a layman again in the strict sense, because the character imprinted by ordination is for ever. The vocation and mission received on the day of his ordination mark him permanently.
CCC 1583**

James
 
In this area many retired priests will say a mass when a parish is short of priests due to vacations etc. Also, some do graveside services when a funeral is held elsewhere and the burial is here. Many continue to live in a rectory and provide some support to the parish.

These provide them with some support while sparing them the rigors of full time work.
 
As my favorite Dominican priests says, “Dominicans die with their boots on”.
 
corsair said:
As my favorite Dominican priests says, “Dominicans die with their boots on”.
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Not sure who your Dominican is but I wish there were more like him.

How do you retire from a vocation? I wonder if my wife would mind if I retire from our marriage?
 
once a priest, always a priest

the mark of Holy Orders is permanent, such as in Baptism and Confirmation

defrocked priests lose their faculties, thus lose authority to confer Sacraments except Penance in cases of emergency. but retired priests doesn’t necessarily lose their faculties. i remember a few weeks ago the former parish priest of our parish was in the area, and during mass he is in the Sanctuary with our current parish priest. not sure if he can be considered a co-celebrant since he doesn’t have an active participation except for consecration where he also lifts a Chalice (or maybe the cup, i can’t remember exactly i wasn’t paying too much attention) but otherwise he didn’t participate during the readings nor did he distribute communion (he’s 90+ after all)

but priests cannot participate in a mass as a lay person (learned that here in this forum) and will always be a priest 'til death
 
Monseigneur Sammon, in our diocese, was well into his nineties when he died. He still processed and said mass while using a walker. He commented, “What’s this about retirement. I like being a priest.”

He did have to give up his role as chaplain to the police and fire department. They found a walker too much of a hazard at fires etc.
 
RosaryCrusader said:
Not sure who your Dominican is but I wish there were more like him.

How do you retire from a vocation? I wonder if my wife would mind if I retire from our marriage?
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My priest I talk to is retired and nearly works as much as he did before he was retired. How do they do it? The church in her wisdom allows it, I am sure because they don’t have the same kind of help in the same ways as a wife and husband do.
They gave a lot up, can’t you allow them that much?
 
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