CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz
Posted on 05/29/2009 1:05:13 PM PDT by NYer
As we report below, Father Alberto Cutié has decided to join the Episopal Church.
Some questions arise ...
1. What will his status be as a Catholic?
2. Is he excommunicated?
3. Will he still be a priest?
4. Will his sacraments be valid?
I put them to canonist Msgr. Jason Gray, judicial vicar of the Diocese of Peoria, Ill., by e-mail.
1. What will his status be as a Catholic? HE IS IN SCHISM.
2. Is he excommunicated? YES
Said Msgr. Gray:
“Fr. Cutie is a Catholic priest joining a non-Catholic Christian denomination. This is a public act of schism (c. 751). The punishment for schism is excommunication (c. 1364) and he can also lose any rights he had to his last assignment (or office) as a Catholic priest (c. 1336.1.2). If he freely commits schism with an awareness of the consequences, Fr. Cutie incurs the penalty of excommunication himself simply by committing the act of schism.”
3. Will he still be a priest? HE CANNOT ACT AS ONE.
Said Msgr. Gray:
“Excommunication prevents Fr. Cutie from celebrating the sacraments for others or receiving the sacraments himself. He is also prevented from exercising his office (i.e. performing any duties connected with his last priestly assignment) (c. 1331.1).
“Furthermore, a priest who attempts to marry is suspended (c. 1394.1). If Fr. Cutie freely marries with a knowledge of the consequences, then he incurs the penantly of suspension himself simply by going through the marriage ceremony. If he does not repent, the local archbishop can add further penalties which can include dismissal from the clerical state.
“Suspension prevents Fr. Cutie from exercising any of his priestly powers, including the celebration of sacraments (c. 1333).
“Dismissal from the clerical state is similar to the expression ‘being laicized.’ If this happens, then Fr. Cutie is no longer considered a priest. It is important to note that ‘laicization’ commonly refers to something voluntarily requested by a priest who wishes to depart. Dismissal from the clerical state is involuntary and imposed on the priest.
“It is theoretically possible for Fr. Cutie to return to the Catholic priesthood even after an excommunication or suspension (but not dismissal fromt the clerical state). He would have to repent and renounce his past actions. The seriousness of this case would require receiving a dispensation from Rome (see cc. 1041.2 and 3, 1044.1.2 and 3, and 1047.2.1).”
4. Will his sacraments be valid? SOME WON’T; SOME WILL.
“If he goes through with his expressed plans, he will not be able to validly hear confessions or marry Catholics in the Church. His baptisms would be valid, since anyone can baptize, though the persons baptized would probably be considered Episcopalian and not Catholic. As an ordained priest, he still has the power to validly confect the Eucharist when saying Mass, though he is forbidden to do this and it is altogether illicit.”
Click here for our 2006 article on “Rent-a-Priests” for further clarity from Msgr. Gray about laicized priests.
This decision will gnaw at his conscience throughout the remainder of his life.
He did not belong as a Catholic Priest. But the priests who bugger alter boys are far worse.
It is shame he didn’t realize he was not for the priesthood before he joined.
I don't think so. If he had any conscience left, he wouldn't have carried on a two year affair. And I believe (although I could be wrong), that the affair was with a woman in his Parrish. Horrible.
obviously, his decision to enter and remain in a sexual relationship didn’t “gnaw” at him all that much.
I see we agree on this one. you beat me to it.
excommunication is for real criminals like Rev. John I. Jenkins of Notre Dame.
Father Cutie has feet of clay while Father Jenkins backs Abortionists. Do the math.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that excommunication is automatic and needs no formal action on the part of the Catholic Church.
That is, he excommunicated himself when he first broke his vows as a priest.
Is this correct?
What about all the priests that did not remain “celibate” when they sexually abused all the young girls and boys. Don’t see them excommunicated! I’m a practicing Roman Catholic and am sickened by the double standards the heirarchy lives by. How many Roman priests, bishops, etc. in Rome have “housekeepers” who are their live-in lovers?
It is disgusting and I agree with you completely. I am not Catholic, though and am just curious as to how excommunication works in the RC Church.
We really are facing a moral catastrophe, it seems.
The violation of celibacy was not the act by which he excommunicated himself.
Care to enlighten the rest of us? How many?
The act of schism was the central act here - not the violation of celibacy.
The schism was voluntary and informed and he did it anyway.
Doesn't that apply to his sex acts as well? Is excommunication automatic or do the sins/violations have to be discovered first?
You don't ?? How do you know that ?? Certain actions, like getting an abortion for example, incur automatic excommunication. No formal pronouncements needed from anyone in the Church. It is even possible that in some cases, only the person himself, and God, know that he is excommunicated. I am not familiar enough with Canon Law (which lists the situations when automatic excommunication occurs) to know if the situation you mention above is covered. I personally think that it should be, and also think that it probably is, but I do not know for sure.
I’m a practicing Roman Catholic and am sickened by the double standards the hierarchy lives by. How many Roman priests, bishops, etc. in Rome have “housekeepers” who are their live-in lovers?
I don't know. How many?? Please present your evidence and name names.
I am a practicing Traditional Roman Catholic, and I am not sickened (or not AS sickened as you apparently are). Most Catholic priests, bishops, etc... are devout men who are living their vocations faithfully. The "bad apple" left-wing homo's (or homo-sympathizers, or just plain left-wing liberals) who have infiltrated the Church are the cause of the majority of the problems, and hopefully do not represent a majority.
The parishes where I see the most cause for concern are the more modernist parishes that advertise that they follow "the Spirit of Vatican II" (whatever the heck that is!!). Those are the one's I avoid, and they are also the one's that seem to have the highest probability of having a "squishy" priest. Priests who have housekeepers do not worry me as much as priests who are liberal, and teach contrary to the magisterium. There are WAY too many of THEM for my comfort, even if they are not the majority.
Better than with a boy in his Parish. He’s not the first Priest to fall in love and he won’t be the last either.
It happened in my town with a couple of priests and their ‘housekeepers.’
“It happened in my town with a couple of priests and their ‘housekeepers.’”
Obviously was in the leftwing media news. Source? Thanks.
“What about all the priests that did not remain “celibate” when they sexually abused all the young girls and boys. Don’t see them excommunicated! I’m a practicing Roman Catholic and am sickened by the double standards the heirarchy lives by. How many Roman priests, bishops, etc. in Rome have “housekeepers” who are their live-in lovers?”
Now do you want me to post on Protestant pastors and their abuse of little boys? As for priests and little girls - source please. Also need a source for this “housekeeper” rumor that’s going around this forum especially this specific story. Thanks much.
Almost as bad as their protestant counterparts.
Sexual Abuse of Children by Protestant Ministers.
The big difference, though, is that the Catholic Church has taken action to prevent this from ever recurring. What have the Protestant Churches done?
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