what is the step by step official process for a catholic priest to leave the church. How long does it take once he starts the process.
2006-12-10 18:51:46 · 10 answers · asked by David M 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
1. Only the local ordinary can determine if you have truly apostatized (defected) and it is ruled according to what Ben N said above.
2. This is completely different than simply leaving your local Church. Even though both instances result in excommunication, defection is the shutting of the door by yourself. In normal excommunication, the Church does not shut the door. In fact, the Church will never shut the door.
3. I am sorry to tell you but the Church will always recognize you as a Catholic. Once you have been baptized, according to Catholic Doctrine you are eternally a Catholic. Even if the baptismal registry has "formal defection" next to your name, your name is not removed from the lists. You would simply be a defected Catholic. The Church believes that she does not have the power to undo your baptism.
4. Formal defection is not a cool thing to do. Spiritually it is very very unhealthy to do. If you are going to leave (and I suggest that you don't) just leave and don't give the Church the finger.
5. Let me suggest that your disbelief in Catholicism might be due to a lack of education, a problem that is rampant in the US dioceses over the last 30 or so years. Do some serious looking into history and reading the works of truly Orthodox Catholics. If you want a list I will give you a list.
May God bless you!
2006-12-10 18:54:52 · answer #1 · answered by chilling_1ce 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
A priest is a lifelong Catholic from the moment he was baptized -- whether it was when he was a baby, or whether he converted to Catholicism as an adult.
Baptism makes him Catholic for life. Baptism is a sacrament, and no sacrament -- once validly administered -- can be undone.
The same goes for his becoming a priest -- the sacrament of Holy Orders. Once he's ordained a priest, he is a priest for life -- even if he is given permission to marry and to cease functioning as a priest.
In such a case, he still IS a priest; he just can't WORK as one.
So, technically speaking, he can't leave the priesthood and he can't even leave the Church -- even if he is officially defrocked and even if he stops practicing Catholicism.
It's similar to your relationship to your parents. Once you're born, your parents are always your parents until the day that they (or you) die -- even if you disown them or if they disown you, and even if your relationship with them is permanently ruptured.
Even if all these things happen, they're still your parents -- like it or not. It's the same with being a Catholic priest, or even just being a Catholic.
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2006-12-10 19:26:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i believe that a Roman Catholic priest who needs to marry ought to first get a dispensation from the pope. some have been granted. the priest isn't allowed to sanctify the Eucharist or carry out another responsibilities of a consecrated priest... yet they're welcome to grant liturgy and carry out different purposes. i do believe that the approaches did substitute after Vatican II yet i'm not sure in what way. i additionally comprehend that for a clergyman to get a dispensation relies upon on the pope. i used to attend a parish wherein we had one married priest and later yet another one left the parish to get married. i comprehend that the 1st married priest is coaching faith at a school yet i do no longer comprehend what the different priest is doing now. they have been the two very good clergymen and had 'hearts of gold'... would they happy and blessed. amen. sorry i would be unable to provide help to greater... i comprehend that it incredibly is a marginally long and in contact technique for a clergyman who needs to get married. i'm particular which you will discover greater advice on the information superhighway or maybe somebody greater knowledgeable than i will answer your question. probable ultimate to ask a clergyman because of the fact they might comprehend for particular. xx
2016-10-05 04:04:13 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just declare he is not able anymore to carry on with his mission, and that he is now into materialistic style of life , with spirituality gone steam... He will have to get approval though from the diocesian authority, and be confirmed by Rome.
He would still be a priest though until released, and as such, he could be liable to be excommuniated.
2006-12-10 18:57:28 · answer #4 · answered by Sweet Dragon 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They leave the Church, if thats what they intend to do permenantly, by simply not going back. They will probably be excommunicated, but that is something that actually happens automatically by virtue of what action he took in leaving the Church and priesthood.
2006-12-10 18:55:32 · answer #5 · answered by Augustine 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well, he'd have to decide = a few seconds;
get his coat = 10 seconds;
get his hat = 5 seconds;
walk to the door =10 sec;
open the door = 5 secs;
go through the door = 2 secs;
so, about 1 minute i'd guess
2006-12-10 18:57:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, I think that the priest has to go to his Bishop and tell him.
2006-12-10 19:03:45 · answer #7 · answered by Shinigami 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
first he opens the door, then walks down the steps, then into the street.
2006-12-10 18:54:59 · answer #8 · answered by a_bike_guy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you could begin teaching the mystical doctrines put forward by eliphaz levi thats what got him kicked out
2006-12-10 19:07:39 · answer #9 · answered by harro_06 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
2 weeks notice??
2006-12-10 18:56:05 · answer #10 · answered by David T 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋