The Pope Laicizes a Convicted Child Molester

Post-Crescent reports that "Pope removes Feeney from the priesthood" Here are the details:

Pope Benedict XVI officially has dismissed a former Freedom priest from the clerical state because of the ex-priest’s conviction for child sexual abuse.

John P. Feeney, 78, whose most recent address was Los Angeles, was sentenced in April 2004 to 15 years in prison for three counts of attempted sexual assault of a child and one count of sexual assault of a child. He is being held at the Fox Lake Correctional Institution.

The charges stemmed from Feeney’s tenure as pastor of St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Freedom in 1978.

The victims, two brothers, were 12 and 14 years old at the time.

Green Bay Bishop David Zubik announced Monday that he has received official word from the Holy See that Feeney has been dismissed from the clerical state.

The decision is in response to a request filed in 2004 by Zubik who had petitioned the Holy See to have Feeney dismissed.

A little too little, too late, imho. This is the first time I've heard Pope Benedict XVI laicize a priest for childhood sexual abuse. That's good news. However, the man was sentenced in April 2004. That means he's remained a priest for more than a year while serving a fifteen year sentence for his crime. This is unacceptable! A man chosen to act In Persona Christi blasphemes the Lord and scandalizes the Faithful when he betrays the trust of children, as this John Feeney has done. That he should remain a part of the priesthood when he's been convicted and sentenced is an outrage! It demeans every priest that faithfully fulfills his ministry. It slaps the parents of young children in the face. Not to mention what is says to children.

The Vatican must be more vigilient and efficient in seeing justice done in these cases. Otherwise, the Church will continue to bleed from the wounds in that her Judases have inflicted upon her.