What is the proper attitude toward a "former Priest?"

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carol_marie

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One more than one occasion I have read an article or heard of a book that was written by “a former Priest.” What is the proper attitude toward that person? It there anything wrong with a Priest deciding that he no longer wants to be a Priest? Can he just quit being a Priest, get married if he wants and go on to serve in the church in some other capacity? When you see “former Priest” do you see a red flag or is it no big deal?
 
As long as he is laisized (sp?), made a lay person, I think he can get married and serve the Church in another capacity. I had a cousin who married a priest who wasn’t laisized and it drove a wedge between her and her mother. They both left the Catholic Church. I’m not sure but I think even a laisized priest can administer the sacraments if there is danger of death.

I always treated him like anyone else. He was a good guy, just misguided.
 
Carol Marie,

To be honest, “former priest” sends up a red flag for me. I’ll admit this is probably because the media has tended to use them as spokesmen for dissenters and as “experts” when they wish to show the Church in an unfavorable light. It may be that there are many decent former priests out there, but I don’t know any personally, and so my view is obviously based on the ones I see in the media.
 
We have a fellow in our Church that was once a priest. He now volunteers for many lay positions and is very active in the Church, but he no longer practices as a priest. It is my understanding that once a man is ordained, only the Pope can recend that ordination and if that has never happened, they will remain ordained forever. However, the local Bishop may not agree with them practicing as religious, since they have violated one or more of their vows. However, having said that, I am sure glad that we have this guy around. Ya know, our Priests are very busy and it is nice to have an extra hand around that really understands the Church. He is a big asset. I personally think that any man that would give his life for that vocation is pretty special. If later in life they have decided that they are called to be somewhere else, I can’t help but be thankful for the years of service that they have provided and still provide as trained theologians.
Just my 2 cents,
Jack
 
At what point do you draw a line in the sand? I mean, these same priests tell us that marriage is a vocation that you cannot turn your back on.

Isn’t the priesthood a vocation?

to put it bluntly, it pisses me off…
 
A former priest is a human being just like all the rest of us and things change in peoples’ lives. I don’t believe it is anyone’s place to judge a former priest because it is really no one’s business how he chooses to live out his life. What if priests judged us and saw red flags about us for not quitting our jobs and becoming priests or nuns? I don’t think any of us would like that kind of judgement. Do you?
 
NightRider,

I simply don’t appreciate hypocracy. If you’re going to talk the talk, walk the walk. It just strikes me as very hypocritical, that’s all.
 
I try not to be judgemental about former priests. The fault may not be theirs since diocisan vocational offices and seminaries have fallen short on formation at times.

I do not think that a former priest should be involved in a parish in a conspicuous way, especially if the fact he is a former priest is common knowledge. If he wants to be involved quietly, that’s fine. I have seen some former priests (and nuns) who try to move into positions of influence (DRE, parish administrator, etc.) as if nothing happened.

A priest losing his vocation is an occasion for sorrow and compasion but should not be treated as a normative event.
 
I suppose I’m asking because like Sherlock I often read the words of a “former Priest” in the media and they are giving the “inside scoop” on some part of the Catholic Church and I wonder if they have some ax to grind because they aren’t Priests anymore or what?? Or, having been Priests do they really know the church much better than the average Joe schmoe so we should pay special attention to what they have to say? It seems like “former Priests” are speaking out in the media more often then regular Priests and I wondered why that was?
 
Carol Marie,

I think it is reasonably safe to say that the dissident ex-priests that the media hold up as experts to bash the Church with are largely people with axes to grind. As for why you’re seeing more of them: hey, the media elites (which are largely secular) don’t exactly like the Church and her moral teaching. Using ex-priests to do the bashing gives them a cover, so no one can call them anti-religious. (But make no mistake, they are: a recent survey of the media—Pew research, I think—showed the vast majority to be atheist or agnostic, which is NOT the case for American society.)Why should anyone presume that they know the Church better than any faithful priest? Hey, I’ll wager my own wonderful priest: my priest can beat up the media’s ex-priests any day…
 
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NDIrish:
At what point do you draw a line in the sand? I mean, these same priests tell us that marriage is a vocation that you cannot turn your back on.

Isn’t the priesthood a vocation?

to put it bluntly, it pisses me off…
Click to expand...
No need to get upset.

Under extreme circumstances, the Church allows a married couple to separate and terminate their common conjugal life, though their marriage remains valid until the death of one of the spouses.

Likewise, under extreme circumstances, the Church allows a priest to stop exercising the power of his ordination and frees him from the obligations of the clerical state, though he remains validly ordained forever (see Canon 290-293 Loss Of The Clerical State, www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_PY.HTM)
 
I make a big distinction between those that publicly claim to be “former priests” and those that I (privately) know were.

I would treat the former with great care - and would generally avoid their books, lectures, etc. If someone wants to be known as a “former priest” then, imo, they have a problem.
 
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