Vatican Dismisses Fr. Roy
ARCWP Press Release
From: The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
Contact: Janice Sevre-Duszynska, D.Min., rhythmsofthedance@gmail.com 859-684-4247
Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan, sofiaBMM@aol.com; 703-505-0004
The
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests calls the Vatican's dismissal of
Roy Bourgeois an abuse of spiritual power and a cowardly act by a morally
bankrupt institution that rejects Jesus' mandate of Gospel equality.
We
are grateful to Roy Bourgeois, a prophetic priest, whose advocacy for women's
ordination has become a lightning rod that has brought worldwide support for
women priests in the Roman Catholic Church.
The
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests calls the Vatican's dismissal of
Roy Bourgeois an abuse of spiritual power and a cowardly act by a morally
bankrupt institution that rejects Jesus' mandate of Gospel equality.
Janice
Sevre-Duszynska (Fr. Roy attended my ordination on August 9, 2008 in Lexington,
Kentucky.)
[VATICAN CREST OF ARMS]
CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
(Dismissal from clerical state and dispensation from clerical duties)
Protocol Number 270/2008
The Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America
Reverend Roy L. Bourgeois
The Supreme Pontiff, Pope Benedict 16th,
after having heard the relation of this Congregation about the reproachful behavior
1 of the above said presbyter of the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America (that is, The Catholic Foreign
Mission Society of America), omitting preliminaries
2, with a supreme decision, not open to any
appeal, without right to any recourse,
decreed
that for the good of the Church, the dismissal from the said Society must be confirmed, and
moreover, also the dismissal from clerical state must be inflicted to the above said presbyter.
To the same presbyter, [the Pope] also concedes the dispensation from all the duties connected to
the Sacred Order according to the following criteria:
1. The dismissal and dispensation enter into vigor from the moment of the decision of the
Roman Pontiff.
2. The Decree of dismissal and of dispensation will be communicated to the presbyter by the
competent Ordinary of the place, to whom it is not permitted to separate these two elements.
3. The news of the dismissal and of the dispensation will be noted in the Book of the baptized
of the parish of the above said presbyter.
4. For that which concerns, should the case arise, the celebration of a canonical matrimony,
the norms which have been established by Code of Canon Law are to be applied. The
ordinary should ensure that the event is managed with caution without publicity.
5. The ecclesiastical authority, to whom it pertains to communicate the decree to the above
mentioned priest, should exhort him assiduously so that, once [his] proud behavior has been
purified, he will participate in the life of the People of God in conformity
3 to his new condition, will give edification and in this way will show himself a worthy son of the
Church. At the same time, he will communicate what follows:
a) the dismissed priest, due to this same fact, loses the rights proper to clerical state, the
dignities and ecclesiastical offices, he is no longer held to the other obligations
connected with the clerical state;
1 Literally: “grave mode of acting”
2 Literally: “assuming that all the things that have to be stated, have been stated”
3 Literally: “according to the criterion of conforming
b) he remains excluded from the exercise of the sacred ministry, except what is stated in
canons 976 and 986, paragraph 2, of the Code of Canon Law and for this reason is not
allowed to preach homilies, neither may he have a directive role in a pastoral
environment nor serve as a parish administrator;
c) similarly, he may not perform any office in Seminaries and Institutes of the same level.
In other Institutes of studies of higher level which depend in any way upon the
Ecclesiastical Authority, he may not perform a directive role nor a teaching office;
d) indeed, in other Institutes of studies of higher level which do not depend upon the
Ecclesiastical Authority he may not teach any theological discipline;
e) moreover, in Institutes of studies at lower level which depend upon the ecclesiastical
Authority he may not perform a directive role nor a teaching office. The dispensed and
dismissed presbyter is obliged by the same law for what concerns the teaching of
Religion in Institutes of any kind not depending upon the ecclesiastical Authority.
6. The Ordinary of the place, as far as possible, should ensure that the new condition of the
dismissed presbyter would not give scandal to the faithful.
7. The notification of the dismissal and of the dispensation can happen either personally,
through a notary or an ecclesiastical secretary or by registered letters. The dismissed priest
must give back one copy duly signed as a proof of reception and at the same time of
acceptance of the same dismissal and dispensation, and of the prescriptions, but if he does
not do so, the effect of this Decree remain in its entirety
4.
8. Moreover, at an opportune time, the competent Ordinary should report briefly to the
Congregation about the completed notification, and also, should any astonishment take place
among the faithful, should give a prudent explanation.
Notwithstanding anything which could be contrary [even] minimally.
From the seat of the Congregation, on the day 4 of October of year 2012.
+ [signature]
Gerhard Ludwig Müller
Prefect
+ [signature]
Aloisius Francis Ladaria, Jesuit, titular Archbishop of Thibica
Secretary
Day of notification:_______________________
_________________________ _______________________
Signature of the Presbyter as a sign of acceptance Signature of the Ordinary
4 Literally: “whole”