(17 Dec 09 - RV) It was also announced Thursday that the Holy See has dismissed Archbishop
Emmuanuel Milingo from the clerical state.
A press office communiqué states
that “for a number of years the Church has followed with great concern the difficulties
caused by the regrettable conduct of Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo. Many attempts have
been made to bring Archbishop Milingo back into communion with the Catholic Church,
including the consideration of suitable ways to enable him to exercise the Episcopal
ministry. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI were directly involved in those
efforts and both Popes personally followed the case of Archbishop Milingo in a spirit
of paternal solicitude”.
“In the course of this unhappy series of events, Archbishop
Milingo became irregular in 2001 as a result of his attempt to marry Mrs. Maria
Sung, and incurred the medicinal penalty of suspension (cf. Canons 1044 § 1, n.
3; 1394 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law). Thereafter, he headed certain groups calling
for the abolition of clerical celibacy and gave numerous interviews to the media
in open disobedience to the repeated interventions of the Holy See, creating serious upset
and scandal among the faithful. Then, on 24 September 2006 in Washington, Archbishop Milingo
ordained four Bishops without pontifical mandate”.
“By so doing, he incurred
the penalty of excommunication latae sententiae (Canon 1382) which was declared
by the Holy See on 26 September 2006 and is still in force today. Sadly, Archbishop
Milingo has shown no sign of the desired repentance with a view to returning to full communion
with the Supreme Pontiff and the other members of the College of Bishops. Rather, he
has persisted in the unlawful exercise of acts belonging to the episcopal office,
committing new crimes against the unity of Holy Church. Specifically, in recent
months Archbishop Milingo has proceeded to several other episcopal ordinations”.
“The
commission of these grave crimes, which has recently been established, is to be considered
as proof of the persistent contumacy of Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo. The Holy See
has therefore been obliged to impose upon him the further penalty of dismissal from
the clerical state”.
“According to Canon 292 of the Code of Canon Law, the
penalty of dismissal from the clerical state, now added to the grave penalty of
excommunication, has the following effects: loss of the rights and duties attached
to the clerical state, except for the obligation of celibacy; prohibition of the
exercise of any ministry, except as provided for by Canon 976 of the Code of Canon
Law in those cases involving danger of death; loss of all offices and functions and
of all delegated power, as well as prohibition of the use of clerical attire. Consequently,
the participation of the faithful in any future celebrations organized by Archbishop
Emmanuel Milingo is to be considered unlawful”.
“It must be pointed out
that the dismissal of a Bishop from the clerical state is most extraordinary. The
Holy See has felt obliged to act in this way due to the serious consequences for ecclesial
communion resulting from repeated Episcopal consecrations carried out without pontifical
mandate; nevertheless, the Church hopes that Archbishop Milingo will see the error
of his ways”.
“As for those recently ordained by Archbishop Milingo, the Church’s
discipline in imposing the penalty of excommunication latae sententiae upon
those who receive episcopal consecration without pontifical mandate is well-known.
While expressing hope for their conversion, the Church reaffirms what was declared
on 26 September 2006, namely that she does not recognize these ordinations, nor
does she intend to recognize them, or any subsequent ordinations based on them,
in the future. Hence the canonical status of the supposed bishops remains as it was
prior to the ordination conferred by Archbishop Milingo”.
“At this moment,
as the Church experiences profound sorrow for the grave acts perpetrated by Archbishop
Milingo, she entrusts to the power of prayer the repentance of the guilty party and of
all those who - be they priests or lay faithful - have in any way cooperated with
him by acting against the unity of Christ’s Church”.