[DameAutour]

Here's something I don't understand, perhaps a Catholic would be kind enough to explain it to me.

I thought that Catholics believe that priests are "called" to the priesthood, presumably by God. And it's pretty close to once a priest, always a priest, which is why pedophile priests are moved and "helped" instead of simply kicked out of the priesthood. They're still viewed as priests, right?

Is this man who is now married still a priest? Does God's "call" no longer count since he got married? Is marriage enough to strip you of your priesthood, but pedophilia not?

[Conservative til I die]

Nicely loaded question. Almost thought you were genuinely curious. Let's see if someone takes the flamebait.

[sinkspur]

Does God's "call" no longer count since he got married? Is marriage enough to strip you of your priesthood, but pedophilia not?

Actually, marriage does not strip a priest of his priesthood, as long as he doesn't seek laicization.

If a priest is laicized, he is essentially reduced to the lay state (laicization is only granted by JP II in cases of sexually abusive priests).

However, I know of five cases of priests in Dallas and Fort Worth where the priests left the priesthood, married civilly, divorced at some point, and Rome has granted every single one of them the right to come back to the priesthood.

However, laicized priests, who sought the proper route so they could marry in the Church, will never be given the right to exercise priestly ministry.

In fact, in some dioceses, laicized priests can do nothing in parishes. That means no RCIA teaching, no lectoring, no Eucharistic Minister, no Engaged Couple ministry.

No nothing. They're outcasts.

[Arthur McGowan]

The fact that sexual abusers WERE moved around WAS an abuse. There's no theological basis for that practice. It was just cowardice and corruption that caused those coverups.

The priest who married and left the active ministry is still ONTOLOGICALLY a priest. And he can still hear the confession and absolve a person who is in danger of death. In fact, if I am dying, I could tell the Pope to leave the room, and ask an "ex-priest" to hear my last confession. But other than that one case, an "ex-priest" is not allowed to carry out any other priestly function.