Posted on 08/22/2006 12:48:40 PM PDT by markomalley
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Jacksonville bishop has excommunicated a defiant priest. Officials said the Reverend Rouville Fisher's decision to join a national organization promoting a married priesthood has resulted in his excommunication.
It was the first excommunication since Victor Galeone became bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine in 2001.
A diocese spokeswoman said the action disqualifies Fisher from performing or participating in any church rites, but it does not strip him of his lifelong Catholicism.
Fisher was excommunicated because he joined Rent A Priest, an organization of Catholic priests removed from ministry because they married. The organization provides priests to perform sacraments for lay people who are often estranged from the Catholic Church.
Catholic ping?
BTW, some references for your entertainment:
From the Catechism:
1463 Certain particularly grave sins incur excommunication, the most severe ecclesiastical penalty, which impedes the reception of the sacraments and the exercise of certain ecclesiastical acts, and for which absolution consequently cannot be granted, according to canon law, except by the Pope, the bishop of the place or priests authorized by them. In danger of death any priest, even if deprived of faculties for hearing confessions, can absolve from every sin and excommunication.
From the Code of Canon Law:
Can. 1331 §1. An excommunicated person is forbidden:
1/ to have any ministerial participation in celebrating the sacrifice of the Eucharist or any other ceremonies of worship whatsoever;
2/ to celebrate the sacraments or sacramentals and to receive the sacraments;
3/ to exercise any ecclesiastical offices, ministries, or functions whatsoever or to place acts of governance.
§2. If the excommunication has been imposed or declared, the offender:
1/ who wishes to act against the prescript of §1, n. 1 must be prevented from doing so, or the liturgical action must be stopped unless a grave cause precludes this;
2/ invalidly places acts of governance which are illicit according to the norm of §1, n. 3;
3/ is forbidden to benefit from privileges previously granted;
4/ cannot acquire validly a dignity, office, or other function in the Church;
5/ does not appropriate the benefits of a dignity, office, any function, or pension, which the offender has in the Church.
Have fun!
My bishop rocks!
I actually heard Fr. Fisher's first homily of a major feast on the Feast of the Assumption four years ago. The homily was quite good and orthodox, but it looks like he didn't stay that way.
Wow. So maybe there's one good bishop in Florida after all!
Rent a priest is very real. They hire former priests as well.
I love your graphic for "episcopal spine".
Interesting juxtaposition: the Catholic Diocese of St Augustine under +Galleone and the Episcopal Diocese of Florida under $Howard. Once these two dioceses, which cover pretty much the same counties, did a lot together: cursillo, prison ministry, even a Billy Graham Crusade. Somehow I think that has all changed now...
"..but it does not strip him of his lifelong Catholicism."
Stupid statement.
If he is ex-communicated, he cannot receive any Catholic Sacraments; that pretty much makes you no longer Catholic. That said, the Church doesn't do a card check at the door.
Please note from the Canon Law extract in post #3, above:
§2. If the excommunication has been imposed or declared, the offender:
1/ who wishes to act against the prescript of §1, n. 1 must be prevented from doing so, or the liturgical action must be stopped unless a grave cause precludes this;
I see excommunication as more of a "suspension" than an "expulsion." Though I'm not sure the Church would be too interested in re-hiring him as a priest even if he repented and received absolution. They'd let him have the cookies again though.
Canon Law states:
Can. 1380 A person who through simony celebrates or receives a sacrament, is to be punished with an interdict or suspension.
Also in Canon Law:
Can. 1364 ß1 An apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication, without prejudice to the provision of Can. 194 ß1, n. 2; a cleric, moreover, may be punished with the penalties mentioned in Can. 1336 ß1, nn. 1, 2 and 3.
CHAPTER II : EXPIATORY PENALTIES Can. 1336 ß1 Expiatory penalties can affect the offender either forever or for a determinate or an indeterminate period. Apart from others which the law may perhaps establish, these penalties are as follows: 1ƒ a prohibition against residence, or an order to reside, in a certain place or territory; 2ƒ deprivation of power, office, function, right, privilege, faculty, favor, title or insignia, even of a merely honorary nature; 3ƒ a prohibition on the exercise of those things enumerated in n. 2, or a prohibition on their exercise inside or outside a certain place; such a prohibition is never under pain of nullity;
These "rent a priests" are guilty of offenses against the unity of the Church and breaking their vows of celibacy and obedience to the authority of the Church.
What do you mean by "cookies?"
Some say we worship cookies because we believe in the Real Presence.
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