Is it possible for a priest, who left the priesthood and married, to reenter the priesthoold after his wife died?

-- Anna Garcia (archmich@peoplepc.com), July 31, 2004

Answers

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-- (bump@bump.bump), July 31, 2004.

Yes!

-- - (David@excite.com), July 31, 2004.

Do you mean a priest who is formally laicised? Such a priest can validly marry. However, laicisation is done only when a priest is utterly unable to meet the requirements of priestly life for very severe moral and/or psychological problems. It is unlikely that a man with such problems could later be reinstated. Laicisation is typically permanent.

Or, do you mean a priest who has simply defected and married of his own volition? In this case one of two things might be true. First,the bishop may have laicised him as a result of his defection, in which case see paragraph 1. Or secondly, the bishop did not laicise him,in which case he never lost priestly faculties, and was never validly married. Whether or not he could be reinstated to active ministry would be up to the bishop, but again it would be highly unlikely.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), July 31, 2004.

Anna,

There have been cases where priests who have left to marry have been allowed to return to active ministry after their wives pass away. If there are children there is a requirement that the children be grown and on their own - that is no longer needing parental support.

Hope that's helpful.

-- Fr. Mike Skrocki (abounamike@aol.com), August 01, 2004.