Vatican encourages laicized priests' involvement in parish life
September 30, 2011
The Vatican has given diocesan bishops greater latitude for allowing former priests to become actively involved in parish life, the Catholic Herald reports.
Cardinal Ivan Dias, the prefect of the Congregation for Evangelization, has written that he hopes new rules will allow laicized priests to be come active in the life of local churches. The new rules would reportedly allow bishops to approve the pastoral activity of a laicized priest, whereas previously any the Vatican was required to give permission for any such activity.
The Catholic Herald story does not make it clear whether the policies cited by Cardinal Dias apply only to mission territories under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for Evangelization or to the entire Church.
Under current Church law, a priest who has been laicized cannot preach, administer the Eucharist, or teach in a seminary.
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