Rare Tribunal Accuses Priest of Heresy and Schism
Rare tribunal accuses priest of heresy
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Dec. 14 (UPI) --
The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino, Calif., convened a highly unusual tribunal to accuse priest Ned Reidy of heresy and schism, a report said.
"No one's going to be burned at the stake," said diocese spokesman Father Howard Lincoln.
Reidy, ordained in Joliet, Ill., in 1962, said he would not attend the hearing.
Should he receive an excommunication letter in coming weeks, "I won't even open it," Reidy said.
Reidy resigned in 1999 and the next year formed his own church near Palm Desert, Calif., that joined the Catholic Ecumenical Communion.
The new denomination rejects the authority of the pope and priestly celibacy and allows same-sex unions and ordaining women.
Catholic cannon lawyers told the Los Angeles Times they were surprised Bishop Gerald Barnes convened the rare hearing Tuesday, saying he could have simply ruled on Reidy's case.
The diocese said the tribunal's intent is to make people aware Reidy is not functioning as a Roman Catholic priest.
© UPI, Headline News
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Dec. 14 (UPI) --
The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino, Calif., convened a highly unusual tribunal to accuse priest Ned Reidy of heresy and schism, a report said.
"No one's going to be burned at the stake," said diocese spokesman Father Howard Lincoln.
Reidy, ordained in Joliet, Ill., in 1962, said he would not attend the hearing.
Should he receive an excommunication letter in coming weeks, "I won't even open it," Reidy said.
Reidy resigned in 1999 and the next year formed his own church near Palm Desert, Calif., that joined the Catholic Ecumenical Communion.
The new denomination rejects the authority of the pope and priestly celibacy and allows same-sex unions and ordaining women.
Catholic cannon lawyers told the Los Angeles Times they were surprised Bishop Gerald Barnes convened the rare hearing Tuesday, saying he could have simply ruled on Reidy's case.
The diocese said the tribunal's intent is to make people aware Reidy is not functioning as a Roman Catholic priest.
© UPI, Headline News
posted by Patrick Townson at 7:54 PM
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