Suspended, Resigned, Terminated
or Laicized
Priests, Deacons and Religious of the Evangelical Catholic Church
For a variety of reasons, priests, deacons and religious find that they are no longer able to continue a public expression of their vocation. Likewise, for another variety of reasons, bishops and religious superiors find that they can not longer permit a priest, deacon or religious to continue with their ministry or other official duties.
A suspended priest, deacon or religious is an individual who has been relieved of all of their assignments or other official duties by either their bishop of religious superior. A suspended priest, deacon or religious retains their rank, but cannot function in any manner.
A resigned priest, deacon or religious is an individual who has, of their own choosing, canonically terminated their rank, ministry or other office within the Evangelical Catholic Church. They have also terminated their membership with the body of the Church. Simply put, a resigned priest, deacon or religious is no longer a member within any aspect of the Church.
A terminated priest, deacon or religious is an individual who had come to the Church already validly ordained or professed to vows and was in the probation and transitional period of Clerical or Religious Incardination, but was deemed unsuitable to complete the process of Incardination or personally withdrew their application.
A laicized priest, deacon or religious is an individual who has had their Ordinations or Solemn Religious Profession declared null and void. Such actions mean that a laicized priest, deacon or religious never held any clerical or religious rank within the Church. The Church can only laicize those whom it has ordained or permitted to profess vows as a religious.
Administrative Laicization is declared only when extreme pastoral circumstances arise and it is deemed that for the good of the Church such action is taken.
Any suspended, resigned or laicized cleric or religious who attempts to promote themselves as clerics or religious within the Evangelical Catholic Church after the dates of their suspensions, resignations or laicization, does so fraudulency. No suspended, resigned or laicized cleric or religious can promote themselves as legal representatives of the Evangelical Catholic Church or of any Religious Institute within the jurisdiction of the Evangelical Catholic Church. No suspended, resigned or laicized clergy or religious can solicit money in the name of the IECCA or any Religious Institute within the Evangelical Catholic Church.
The Evangelical Catholic Church disavows any responsibilities for any pastoral or civil actions taken or attempted by suspended, resigned, terminated or laicized clerics or religious.
The Evangelical Catholic Church in America, nor any Diocese or Religious Order will not assume financial liability for any purchases or financial contracts made by any suspended, resigned, terminated or laicized clerics or religious.
If you are unsure of the canonical status of any cleric or religious of the Independent Evangelical Catholic Church in America, please contact the Office of the Presiding Bishop at 505-238-7685 for status confirmation or email us.
The following individuals named below are suspended, resigned, terminated or laicized clergy or vowed religious who no longer have faculties to function as clerics or religious within the Evangelical Catholic Church. In each case the Church has followed all protocols of the Code of Canon Law in its decisions to either suspend, terminate or laicize a cleric or religious and it followed all protocols of the Code of Canon Law when accepting the resignation of a cleric or religious.
Burbatt, Rev. John J of Chicago Illinois, Candidate for Clerical Incardination into the Diocese of the Northwest. Candidacy terminated by Diocese on April 12, 2002.
Burris, Rev. Bradley Scott of San Jose California, Cleric of the Diocese of the Southwest. Resigned December 31, 1999.
Canizares, Brother Frank OSF of Chicago Illinois, Canonically Professed Membership and transferred Solemn Vows from the Roman Catholic Church into the Evangelical Catholic Church on September 16, 2000 before the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Catholic Church in Chicago. Request for dispensational laicization of vows and leave from religious life made in February of 2001 and granted by the Presiding Bishop.
Collova, Rev. S. Joseph of Douseman Wisconsin, Cleric for the Diocese of the Northwest. Suspended April 25th, 2005. Resignation received on May 30, 2005.
Cwan, Rev. James Michael of Schiller Park Illinois, Cleric of the Diocese of the Northwest. Suspended April 12, 2002. Resignation received on April 16, 2002 and accepted.
Farra, Rev. Robert of Chicago, Illinois, Candidate for Clerical Incardination into the Diocese of the Northwest. Candidacy terminated on November 19, 2007.
Gerboc, Brother Philip OFM of Chicago Illinois, Canonically Professed Temporary Vows. Permanently released from vows on October 1, 2004.
Leaming, Russell William (AKA: Fr. Bill Leaming, OSG) of Hammond Indiana, Cleric of the Diocese of the Northwest. Suspended April 12, 2002. Resignation received on April 16, 2002 and accepted. Ordination to Holy Orders declared null and void due to personal fraudulence and misrepresentation. Administrative Laicization declared by the Bishop of the Diocese of the Northwest, October 1, 2003.
Kennedy, Rev. James of Mora New Mexico, Cleric-in-Residence of the Diocese of the Southwest. Terminated by Bishop of the Diocese of the Southwest on December 31, 2001.
McCaffrey, James E. of Albuquerque New Mexico, Diocese of the Southwest. Ordination to Holy Orders declared null and void due to personal fraudulence and misrepresentation. Administrative Laicization declared by Bishop of the Diocese of the Southwest, November 7, 2000.