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"Once a priest, always a priest." Is it the same with deacons?
How about transitional deacons?
"Once a priest, always a priest" is the CC's position. A sacrament, once given cannot be rescinded. That's why the CC says there's no such thing as divorce. A defrocked person is still a priest. He can perform priestly actions. These actions will be illicit, canonically unlawful, but valid. In other words, he is not permitted to say Mass, hear confessions, etc., but he has the ability to do so. The difference is between "can" and "may."
7 Answers
- DP.Lv 64 years agoFavorite Answer
The problem here is similar to many other Catholic issues... it's confused.
The "official" Catholic position is that a priest is always a priest but not really. You see, a priest that is defrocked or resigns cannot call themselves "priest" (at least not from Catholic representation) and cannot (yes "cannot") conduct priestly functions on behalf the Catholic church. To any sane mind this means they are no longer priests... but to the confused Catholic doctrine a priest is always a priest even if they are barred from doing so from any official Catholic authority which is odd because they only gained the status of priest from Catholic authority.
The idea that an ex-priest can operate as a priest but may not do so officially is rather like trying to draw a line between the chemical elements of water and ice.
The whole idea is particularly repugnant when we consider those priests who have molested children. What the Catholic church want to claim is that ONLY priests confirmed by the Catholic church can perform sacrements (like the Eucharist) and they continue to do so even if they turn out to be child molesting criminals... and continue to have such holy station confered upon them after being discovered, tried and sentanced. In other words no matter how evil a priest becomes he is still a priest.
Really?
It's about as confused and made up as it gets....
As for deacons, nope it's not the same because they have never taken the same vows (or to the synical mind never joined the priests club).
- ?Lv 44 years ago
I am a Christian,
Deacon is qualified as a deacon as long as a deacon is qualified according to 1 Timothy 2. For example, a deacon has to have a wife. If the wife leaves through divorce or death, the deacon no longer meets that qualification.
In Christ's name,
- Anonymous4 years ago
You need to get your facts straight. Priests return to civilian life all the time. It's a big problem for the Church.
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- Anonymous4 years ago
Priests can leave the priesthood or be defrocked
so your original premise is wrong, which makes the question moot
- Anonymous4 years ago
depends on their performance
