This is weird stuff. A priest in Florida is charged with making obscene phone calls. He says it was intended as a joke and that he was “under the influence of medication.” Now the article calls him a “helper” priest and says the Diocese of Orlando has asked him to leave. That tells me that he must be a priest from another diocese who was probably removed from ministry from some reason, medical or otherwise. It sounds like he isn’t all that stable.
On the other hand, although I don’t know what he actually said to the woman on the phone, it sounds like there was a bit of overreaction. Yes, the diocese should look into getting him help, but he’s really the responsibility of his home diocese. And is this enough to get a priest permanently removed from ministry? Maybe now that there’s a criminal complaint there is.
If that’s the case then two dioceses have important questiosn about to be asked: How could Bridgeport appoint someone who’s had his faculties revoked elsewhere serve in a parish where the pastor was accused of abuse? And how could the Diocese of Orlando allow him to receive faculties there?
It seems to me that there needs to some kind of national or international database against which the names of priests coming into dioceses need to be checked.
I agree with Dom. This minor case really raises very significant questions regarding the ability to track priests and how their backgrounds are being concealed. If the so-called “National Office” at the USCCB has any function it would be to compile a “do not let this priest into your parish” list.
Too funny, GOT. I was just about to say the same thing, that the Bridgeport diocese has trouble keeping track of its priests.