At what point then, does he become an EX-priest? I’m just curious at what point we can stop calling someone who violated their vows, “father”.
As far as the faith of the Church goes, there is no such person as an ex-priest. You are a priest forever. These are the words at ordination. He will be a priest forever. Violating ones promise does not do away with the ordination. The promises are not part of the ordination. They are something else. They are not even required for a valid ordination. That is a Church discipline, not part of the sacrament of Holy Orders.
It is also important to reread the bishop’s statement. Observe that he does not use the term vows. He uses the term promise. Fr. Cutie is not a religious. He is a secular. Only religious make vows. Seculars do not make vows. They can’t make vows. Secular men and women can make promises. The only vows that secular men and women can make are marital vows. Let’s keep our language clear, because it’s important. A promise does not carry the same weight as a vow.
I have never heard the ex-priest James Carroll called “Fr. Carroll”, so at some point, an ex-priest ceases to be referred to by that title.
A priest and a religious brother in solemn vows stops using the title Father or Brother when he receives a dispensation from the Holy See. At this point the person may return to his place among the faithful. He remains who he is for the rest of his life. But the agreement is that the dispensation is granted to the person if he agrees to put aside the rights of his clerical or religious state. Then he can also put aside the title. But this does not mean that he ceases to be a priest. He simply ceases to function as one and to use the title.
In the case of someone like Fr. Cutie, he has not received a dispensation. He is bound by the requirements of the priesthood and is also entitled to the use of the title, Father, even if he changes his faith. He can call himself whatever he wants. The Church will always call him Father. Until the Church says that he no longer enjoys the right to the title, it is his title. It was very clear in the Archbishop’s letter that Fr. Cutie is still bound by his priestly ordination.
If he loses his clerical state, then he also loses the title, but not the sacrament of Holy Orders. He will still be a priest.
Perhaps I’m jumping the gun, but I think that since he has already said he has left the Church and will marry this woman, it’s an insult to all of the faithful and celibate priests to continue to honor this man with the title “father”.
Ecclesial and religious titles: Deacon, Rev., Father, Brother, Sister, Bishop, etc. are not an honor. They are a right. The person has the right either by virtue of ordination or by virtue of religious profession to such a title, regardless of his sin.
The sins of the person has no effect on the sacrament of Holy Orders or on solemn religious vows. Both remain in full effect even if the person becomes an atheist. The person is outside the Church, but takes with him or her, a bond with Christ and the Church that can never be disolved. In a rather strange and mysterious way, the person is outside the Church, but still bonded with the Church.
I hope and pray that he will have a conversion and return to the Church founded by Christ, but until then, I think I’ll go with the title I read on a blog recently, Ex-Fr. Cutie.
I believe that if you go with the title “Ex-Father”, then you are making a statement that the Sacrament of Holy Orders can be lifted from a deacon, priest or bishop. This is not the case. A deacon, priest or bishop are what they are forever. This is part of our doctrine.
To call them ex is to place ourselves in conflict with our doctrine. It’s like calling a baptized person an ex-Christian. There are Christians who abandon the faith and we call them apostates, but not ex-Christians. You can’t undo baptism. You can’t undo Holy Orders.
To use the “ex” is a little risky, because someone can ask you if you believe that the Sacrament of Holy Orders is forever why you call someone an “ex”. What would you answer?
I would follow the Archbishop’s example. Archbishop Favalora refers to him as Fr. Cutie.
As far as his return, we all agree with you. We hope and pray that this will happen.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
