VOLUNTARY LAICISATION: DID YOU KNOW I ONCE WAS A CATHOLIC PRIEST?

Did you know I was once a Catholic priest?

Did you know I am now married — and married in the Catholic Church?

Did you know I receive Holy Communion — rightfully so?

And yes, my wife also receives Holy Communion.

LEAVING THE PRIESTHOOD

It is true that, through Holy Orders, a priest is configured to Christ in a permanent way. Ordination leaves an indelible spiritual character. In that sense, a priest is a priest forever.

But does that mean a priest can never leave the clerical state?

No.

The Catholic Church provides a canonical process through which a priest may be dispensed from the obligations of the clerical state — commonly referred to as laicisation.

This does not mean that Holy Orders is erased. Rather, the man loses the rights and obligations proper to the clerical state and, ordinarily, is no longer permitted to exercise priestly ministry.

For many years, the process could be lengthy and extremely demanding.

During the pontificate of Pope Francis — may he rest in peace — the process was, in many cases, handled more efficiently.

In my own case, Pope Francis approved my petition.

A few months later, I presented the necessary documentation to my parish priest, and my marriage was subsequently solemnised in the Catholic Church.

So, yes:

I have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and later, after the proper canonical process, I received the Sacrament of Matrimony.

And this is where many people get confused.

“BUT CAN YOU RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION?”

Yes.

A person who has been laicised is not automatically excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

Laicisation and excommunication are not the same thing.

Where a former priest has been lawfully married in the Church and is not otherwise prohibited from receiving the sacraments, he may participate in the sacramental life of the Church according to the Church's law.

So I receive Holy Communion. My wife does too.

Leaving the priesthood is not automatically a curse.

It is not automatically evil.

It is not proof that someone has abandoned God.

There are many reasons why a genuine and devoted priest may eventually discern that he can no longer continue in active ministry.

And contrary to popular gossip, marriage is not necessarily the original reason a priest leaves. Sometimes circumstances, personal struggles, vocation discernment, family responsibilities, or other serious reasons lead someone to make that difficult decision.

Yet in Kenya, former priests can face enormous stigma.

People say:

“Wameshindwa na kazi.”
“Mwanamke amemtoa.”
“Laana imeanza.”
“Hatafanikiwa tena.”

And every setback in the life of a former priest is quickly interpreted as laana taking effect.

But who stops to ask:

What actually led him to make that decision?

A man who spent years preaching about love, mercy and human dignity can suddenly become an object of hatred, ridicule and gossip simply because he left the clerical state.

We need to do better.

Leaving the priesthood is a serious decision — but it should not make someone less human.

Let us stop turning people's difficult vocational journeys into entertainment.

Let us stop treating former priests as lepers.

Let us learn the difference between laicisation, excommunication, and the permanent character of Holy Orders.

And above all, let us remember:

God's mercy does not end when someone's vocational journey changes.

🙏 Congratulations to the Former Italian missionary priest Sandro Ferretto and his partner, Sharon Jepng'ok as they begin this new chapter of their lives.

Copied from Kipkoech Arap Mutai