Excommunication & Laicization Of Priest

[AccountDeleted]

I think I understand some of this but would like clarification.

Once a priest always a priest due to the change of character on the soul at ordination?? Annointed hands always annointed hands??

Excommunication = cannot receive Sacraments but still clergy, still a priest -- can celebrate Mass or not? Cannot receive Communion but theoretically can still consecrate host?? Is this the illicit vs valid thing?

Laicization = no longer clergy, not a priest and cannot perform as such. Still a priest though in character of soul (the once a priest, always a priest statement)??

Just trying to work out the always a priest statement versus no longer acting as a priest.

Thank you.

[cappie]

In Catholicism, a laicized priest is forbidden to exercise his priestly functions, but an indelible priestly character is held to remain on his soul. Consequently, any exercise of his sacramental powers is considered valid even though illegal because he has been laicized. He can still participate in the sacraments as he is still in full communion. He may hear someone's confession and anoint in emergencies. Can. 290 Sacred ordination once validly received never becomes invalid. A cleric, however, loses the clerical state:

1° by a judgement of a court or an administrative decree, declaring the ordination invalid;

2° by the penalty of dismissal lawfully imposed;

3° by a rescript of the Apostolic See; this rescript, however, is granted to deacons only for grave reasons and to priests only for the gravest of reasons.

Can. 291 Apart from the cases mentioned in can. 290, n. 1, the loss of the clerical state does not carry with it a dispensation from the obligation of celibacy, which is granted solely by the Roman Pontiff.

Can. 292 A cleric who loses the clerical state in accordance with the law, loses thereby the rights that are proper to the clerical state and is no longer bound by any obligations of the clerical state, without prejudice to can. 291. He is prohibited from exercising the power of order, without prejudice to can. 976. He is automatically deprived of all offices and roles and of any delegated power.

Can. 293 A cleric who has lost the clerical state cannot be enrolled as a cleric again save by rescript of the Apostolic See.

Excommunication can be either ferendae sententiae (declared as the sentence of an ecclesiastical court) or, far more commonly, latae sententiae (automatic, incurred at the moment the offensive act takes place). The excommunicant is still considered Christian and a Catholic as the character imparted by baptism is indelible. Their communion with the Church, however, is considered gravely impaired

Excommunication carries with it the consequence of not being able to receive the Eucharist, celebrate Mass or receive other sacraments of the Church. Also, they cannot represent themselves as priests. For one to be excommunicated, a baptized Catholic must knowingly place oneself outside of full communion with the Church, according to canon law.

The censure of excommunication does not erase the indelible mark of the Sacred Order of priestly ordination.

[CatherineM]

Last year there was an older man at our seminary. He had left the priesthood years ago, and been laicized. After the end of his marriage (I never asked if it was by death or divorce), he decided that he wanted to return. The Archbishop made him take some refresher courses, and I think also to give the discernment priests at the seminary an opportunity to get to know him. When he had done what they considered to be a long enough "reflection" to the point that he seemed to be in agony almost, he was allowed to resume his priestly office. He was not re-ordained. In fact, he left so quickly that we didn't even get a chance to give him a proper send off. He came over to the house around Thanksgiving, and just looked so much better, younger even.