LifeSiteNews is reporting that the Canadian priest Raymond Gravel, notorious for his voiciferous disagreement with Church teaching on just about every major social issue, has obtained permission from his bishop to run for national governmental office. This claim, however, seems impossible to reconcile with sound canon law.
Under the 1983 Code, Catholic priests are flatly prohibited from holding governmental office: Canon 285.3 plainly states "Clerics are forbidden to assume public offices which entail a participation in the exercise of civil power." The legislative history of this norm makes obvious the Legislator’s intent to eliminiate any exceptions to this rule. See Peters, Incrementa in Progressu at 234.
Unlike those situations where a priest might be given permission to serve as an agent for lay persons or as co-signer of a loan, or to hold office in unions or political parties (see 1983 CIC 285.4 and 287.2), there is no provision in Canon 285 for bishops to grant a priest permission to hold governmental office. None. Presbyteral council "approval" of any alleged "permission" is completely irrelevant.
The Holy See could, of course, grant permission for a priest hold governmental office, but there is not the slightest chance that Rome would do anything to enable this cleric to spread his kind of scandal at the national level.
More, thanks to a commentor, from the blog of Fr. Thomas Dowd
This is something that is quite upsetting to many people, because Fr. Gravel appears to be claiming that he is doing so with the agreement of his bishop, and even the Vatican. And THIS is particularly upsetting to some people because Fr. Gravel is a known public dissenter with many elements of Catholic teaching. Some clarity, therefore, is in order.
First, priests are most definitely forbidden to enter political life — it is write there in the Code of Canon Law, in black and white, canon 285.
Second, Fr. Gravel does *not* have the permission of the Vatican to enter into political life. This was confirmed by the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada himself.
Third, Fr. Gravel has been told by his bishop that if he does enter into political life he will have to give up all public ministry. He will still be required to maintain all priestly obligations (particularly celibacy), but he will only be permitted to celebrate mass privately — no funerals, no marriages, no baptisms, no preaching in church, etc.
Now some people are wondering: why is the bishop even “allowing” this priest to enter into political life at all? But to be honest, I’ll bet the bishop is down on his knees thanking God for his good fortune.
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