Defrocking - Roman Catholicism

Roman Catholicism

In the Catholic Church, a priest, deacon, or bishop may be dismissed from the clerical state as a penalty for certain grave offenses, or by a papal decree granted for grave reasons. This may be because of a serious criminal conviction, heresy, or similar matter. A Catholic cleric may also voluntarily request to be laicized for any personal reason. Voluntary requests are by far the most common means of laicization, and the most common reason is to marry. A priest may also seek laicisation voluntarily because he disagrees with major policies or doctrines of the church and wishes to dissociate himself from those policies.

A dismissed cleric is forbidden to exercise ministerial functions under nearly all circumstances, but an indelible priestly character is held to remain on his soul (as is sung at a priest's ordination, "You are a priest forever, like Melchizedek of old"). Consequently, any exercise of his sacramental power to consecrate the Eucharist is considered valid but illicit.

In being dismissed, the cleric is automatically relieved of any and all offices, roles, and obligations, including his vow of obedience to his bishop, except two: his vow of chastity – if not separately dispensed by the Pope – and hearing the confession of a dying penitent. He is debarred from celebrating some sacraments, but he may still perform others under certain circumstances. If a penitent is in danger of death, a dismissed priest may hear his confession, and indeed is obliged to if the penitent desires, and confer absolution. Additionally, he may perform religious rituals that are permitted to any lay person, such as baptism.

Loss of the clerical state does not release the cleric from his vow of celibacy. A separate dispensation from this vow is necessary if he wishes to marry.

A cleric dismissed from the clerical state cannot be reinstated in the sacred ministry without the consent of the Pope.

The laicization of bishops is very rare, although it has happened a few times, notably in the cases of Talleyrand in France (1801), Fernando Lugo in Paraguay (2008), Emmanuel Milingo in Zambia (2009), and Raymond Lahey in Canada (2012). In the case of Fernando Lugo, the Church at first refused to laicize him to allow him to run for President of Paraguay, even going so far as to suspend him as Bishop of San Pedro when he ran for office anyway, but eventually granted lay status once Lugo was elected.

In a February 2001 letter written by Cardinal Ivan Dias, the Vatican has appealed to diocesan bishops to encourage priests who have left the ministry in order to get married to play a more active role in parish life. Prior rules prohibited laicized priests from celebrating Mass, delivering homilies, administering the Eucharist, teaching or working in seminaries, and placed restrictions on teaching the faith in schools and universities. Under the new instructions (at the local bishop's discretion), the teaching of theology in schools or universities (both Catholic and non-Catholic), contact with the parish where the priest used to serve, and administering Holy Communion will now be allowed.