Topic: Can a person leave the priesthood?

Date originally posted:  March 20, 2002

Source of this posting: Moderator response to emailed question

Moderator who originally posted this source: K. Martyn

Question:  Dear Fr.  I'm e-mailing you because I am a recently retired church secretary and do not want to give my name in the Letters to the Editor in the MI Catholic paper.  About a month ago William Kienzle (author of The Rosary Murders and other publications died.  There was a very large spread (1/2 page) in the MI Catholic glorifying him and his writings.  Yes, I have read his books and they are good, however, I was raised Catholic (12 yrs. parochial school and Catholic college) and was taught once a priest, always a priest.  OK - he left the priesthood for whatever reason, but he married.  I was taught that was automatic excommunication.  What right do they have to glorify him in this way and what does that say to young people, possibly to some young men thinking of entering the priesthood?  Once they enter the priesthood there is a loophole that they can leave and marry?  I thought it was in bad taste and many others I have spoken to agree and were shocked when they read the large article.  Sorry for this long e-mail but I decided you would be able to give me an answer to this.  Thank you and God Bless You.  I have raised four children in the Catholic faith and they are keeping their faith, but what answer do I give them re: this?

Answer:

The Church does allow that someone validly ordained can be discharged/dispensed from the obligations and functions linked to ordination.   

Perhaps, the man in question followed all the rules associated with this process.  Do we have enough information to pass judgment here? 

Loophole?  I think not.  However, we need to be realistic.  Reflect for a moment on your life...has God called you to do different things at different times in your life?  I would have to definitely answer in the affirmative to this question.  Why would it be any different for a Priest? 

At the end of the day it is between God and ourselves.  We all, layperson or religious, must be true to who we are called to be.