It is one of those mysteries about the Catholic church that I cannot get my head around. Why is it that a convicted pedophile priest who is serving time is still a priest? Fr. William Green, who pleaded guilty to 27 counts of sexual assault, has not been defrocked. Why?
Green, 69, abused six pupils aged 11 to 15 while working as a religious education teacher at St Bede’s Boys’ School in Whalley Range, Manchester, between 1975 and 1987.
Following Green’s conviction, after one of his victims came forward, church chiefs vowed that he would never minister to the public again. But two years later he has still not been defrocked or “laicised” – a process involving the Vatican which would strip him of his priesthood and privileges.
I guess the process takes a long time, plus the priest has to ask for it.
Green was asked by the Diocese of Salford in January 2009 to apply for laicisation and he agreed to do so.
However, this process is still on-going and he has yet to be dismissed from the clerical state.
The situation is a disgrace and further evidence of how out of touch the Vatican and Pope are with reality.
