What do you call a priest that becomes a lawyer? A father in law. 72.63 % / 284 votes. I always knock on the fridge before I open it.
Of course, [Holy] Orders is indelible, but the clerical state is conferred/recognized by the Church, and Cutié has lost the clerical state. “Former” or “ex-cleric” is perfectly accurate. So is “former priest,” in common parlance. I got this response from Msgr. Steven Aguggia, judicial vicar with the Marriage Tribunal in the Diocese of Brooklyn:
The canonically precise term is “dispensed from all obligations arising from Sacred Orders.” He is correct in saying that because of the nature of the change a person is always a priest.
Probably more correct would be “dispensed priest” or, perhaps better, a “priest dispensed from obligations of ordination.” This does not mean, though, that one can remain a priest and “enjoy” a priest’s life without the obligations (which seems to be what he is implying).
Those who chose to hire a clergy sex abuse attorney to pursue legal claims against the priests responsible and against the Catholic Church can help prevent others from becoming victims of sexual predators.
In April of 1994, a jury awarded over $1.5 million to a 26-year old plaintiff who was abused by his former priest over a 6-year span. The final award exceeded $2.5 million after penalties for delay in payment were assessed.
The Archdiocese of Chicago agreed to pay more than $8 million to settle claims from 15 sexual abuse survivors. The Diocese of Rockford settled a sexual abuse lawsuit for $2.2 million regarding abuse of two teenage girls. The Archdiocese of Chicago settled lawsuits with 15 sexual abuse survivors for nearly $7 million.
The Diocese of Honolulu paid $25,000 of a $1.5 million settlement to a sexual abuse survivor who made claims against a priest assigned in both the Honolulu Diocese and the Diocese of Buffalo in New York.
Abuse of a child, specifically abuse that is sexual in nature, refers to the intentional harm of a minor and can be physical or psychological in nature.
The term ‘clergy’ includes priests, monsignors, deacons and bishops. In addition, while brothers, sisters (nuns), and cardinals have also been credibly accused, and in some cases convicted of child sex abuse, they are not technically considered ‘clergy’ by the Catholic Church.
Clergy sexual abuse lawyers are required to follow the laws set by each state in order to pursue a sexual abuse case on behalf of a survivor of priest molestation or child sexual abuse. State laws differ greatly, and, therefore, the time allowed for an individual to bring a claim of sexual abuse also varies.