once a priest, always a priest. "Priesthood is ... a sacrament that is there forever. What we're doing is regularizing their relationship with the church in terms of active ministry," he said.
Historically, the church has never forcibly laicized, or defrocked (as it's commonly called), priests or deacons. They have been expected to make the request for laicization themselves. The 240 cases represent men who never petitioned Rome. The pope must sign off on each case.
In the cases of the 13 priests linked to sexual misconduct who have not resigned but were removed from public ministry, a move to defrock would evict six from the Stritch Retreat House in Mundelein, where they are closely monitored. It also would remove the monitors assigned to three priests now living in private homes. Two of the 13 must await the conclusions of canonical trials.
In addition to room and board, health benefits aside from Medicare also would cease. Laicization would not affect pensions, church officials said.
In Milwaukee, Archbishop Jerome Listecki, originally from Chicago, has moved to laicize nine men removed from ministry, saving $90,000 a year. The Chicago Archdiocese declined to say how much it costs to support the men still under the church's watch.
Click on the following for more details: Chicago archdiocese moves to defrock pedophile priests - Chicago Breaking News
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