Sanctions for laicized priests?

[MaryAgnes]

In another thread, Unlaicized Married Priest , the question came up about what parish ministry a laicized priest can perform. We also have a **laicized priest ** in our parish who **teaches a Bible Study ** … is this okay or does laicization provide for certain sanctions?

 

[flamingsword]

A laicized priest should not perform any ministerial function. In this case ministerial functions would be, being a minister of Holy Communion, serving, lectoring, baptizing, and blessing.

As a seminarian comes closer to the priesthood, he is installed as a lector first, this office allows the person to bless bread and berries or something similar (It comes from the old minor orders), then an acolyte, (Acolytes are ordinary ministers of Holy Communion) then a deacon (He can bless most things), and then a priest.

As a laicized priest he is allowed to do none of these things.

A Bible study would not fall under this, though ushering may because of the old minor orders.

 

[Daniel_Kane]

It depends on the terms of the document that lacized him and the policy of the bishop. Some are laicized with additional terms.

 

[MaryAgnes]

Are there any canonical sanctions? If the sactions are individual, who governs them? Does the laicized priest function on the honor system?? Who maintains accountability?

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Laicization may or may not prohibit a priest from performing certain functions. As was already noted, it depends on what the bishop permits – and this is especially true if he has moved to a parish where people don’t know he was a priest. There are laicized priests in my diocese who serve as lectors with the permission of the bishop. Some teach bible studies or do other religious education work.

And just one clarification: an acolyte is not an ordinary minister of Holy Communion – he is still an extraordinary minister, just “first in rank” among the extraordinary ministers. Only the ordained are ordinary ministers.

Deacon Ed

 

[Deacon_Tony560]

In my diocese, laicized priests must keep very low-key. I say this because for a while, I assisted at a Catholic hospital chapel Mass every week and was told by one of the nuns that there were several laicized priests that attended that Mass. I could not tell who they were as I had never seen them involved in any ministeries in the diocese. The nun never did let on who they were.