Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I assume that the church will move to defrock Dobbie.

Does anyone know how long this will take and how it is done?

I don't think the CoE do defrocking anymore, that's why Bishop Ball is still Bishop Ball. They can suspend him from functioning (working) as a priest, but can't divest him of the title or position.
Kinda like the BMA, they can strike a doc off, but can't strip them of the qualifications.

He may be a bit of scalp then in prison.

De-frocking a priest! !!!

The mind boggles - then again, in these times of disclosure and exposure .

How long does it take ?

I think it depends on the number of buttons and bows involved, Richard !!!

The most celebrated defrocking was that of Harold Davidson, the Rector of Stiffkey (in Norfolk), in 1937. He later worked for a circus and was killed by a lion on Blackpool seafront.

scrub wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 11:57 pm I don't think the CoE do defrocking anymore, that's why Bishop Ball is still Bishop Ball. They can suspend him from functioning (working) as a priest, but can't divest him of the title or position.
Kinda like the BMA, they can strike a doc off, but can't strip them of the qualifications.

The problem here is that a bishop can still ordain priests. And it is not unknown for renegade bishops to do just that. This is how sectarian groups arise and survive.

michael scuffil wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 10:50 am The most celebrated defrocking was that of Harold Davidson, the Rector of Stiffkey (in Norfolk), in 1937. He later worked for a circus and was killed by a lion on Blackpool seafront.

That sounds like the synopsis for a black-comedy programme on Channel 4, Michael !

Really rather shocking that the church doesn't do anything about paedophiles.

Doesnt set much of an example.

richardb wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 1:44 pm Really rather shocking that the church doesn't do anything about paedophiles.

Doesnt set much of an example.

Well there are LOADS of jokes about priests and altar-boys, but modesty forbids in these troubled times.

DEFROCKING (C of E version)

michael scuffil wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 10:54 am
The problem here is that a bishop can still ordain priests. And it is not unknown for renegade bishops to do just that. This is how sectarian groups arise and survive.

I think that the relevent words there are renegade and sectarian.

I was amazed to be told that under RC rules a priest who has formally left the priesthood (with permission), married etc. can continue to carry out most of the functions that he did as a priest including celebrating the Mass. I think from memory that he cannot hear confession.

In France, because of the shortage of priests the C of E has formally given its adsherents premission to take mass in the RC church. Apparently the French RC church has actually agreed to this. Where we were it was a Protestant order monk who held C of E communion in the RC cathedral. I don't know if he blessed the host or if it was "imported" from another Protestant church.

I've got a priest working with me tomorrow, I'll ask him whether he knows the current policy in such cases.

sejintenej wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 1:48 pm DEFROCKING (C of E version)

michael scuffil wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 10:54 am
The problem here is that a bishop can still ordain priests. And it is not unknown for renegade bishops to do just that. This is how sectarian groups arise and survive.

I think that the relevent words there are renegade and sectarian.

I was amazed to be told that under RC rules a priest who has formally left the priesthood (with permission), married etc. can continue to carry out most of the functions that he did as a priest including celebrating the Mass. I think from memory that he cannot hear confession.

In France, because of the shortage of priests the C of E has formally given its adsherents premission to take mass in the RC church. Apparently the French RC church has actually agreed to this. Where we were it was a Protestant order monk who held C of E communion in the RC cathedral. I don't know if he blessed the host or if it was "imported" from another Protestant church.

Hardly likely, given what he might hear these days

sejintenej wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 1:48 pm DEFROCKING (C of E version)
I was amazed to be told that under RC rules a priest who has formally left the priesthood (with permission), married etc. can continue to carry out most of the functions that he did as a priest including celebrating the Mass. I think from memory that he cannot hear confession.

J.R. wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 1:51 pm Hardly likely, given what he might hear these days

Especially as the ex-priest who told me this was a High Court Judge at the time!

Why don't they do traditional excommunications like the Catholics?

You can't remove a doctor's knowledge of disease and physiology but a priest or bishop is merely a title and job description.

About the only time I've ever wished the Inquisition was still around... but no doubt they'd be staffed by the worst offenders anyway.

michael scuffil wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 10:50 am The most celebrated defrocking was that of Harold Davidson, the Rector of Stiffkey (in Norfolk), in 1937. He later worked for a circus and was killed by a lion on Blackpool seafront.

The lion was called Freddie.

I'm no expert on the range of sentences available to Crown Court judges or the C of E judicial authorities but they probably don't include introducing Dobbie to a lion. What a pity.