laicization
9.9
The act of removing a clergy member's official church status
- noun
- /ˌleɪɪsɪˈzeɪʃən/
- Formal
:
laicización
- When a priest received the "favor" of laicization, when he was released from his sacred promise and loosed upon the wider world, his office lay in shambles, but his faith remained in place, stubbornly, like a root system too deep to destroy.
Examples
-
After he has applied for and achieved laicization, married, and taken up a position at Oxford, Kenny—by now an agnostic—continues to attend Catholic Mass.
Academic text (2003) -
The laicization of the priest allowed him to lead a normal life away from the church.
-
After a lengthy process, her request for laicization was finally approved, releasing her from clerical duties.
-
Laicization can be a difficult journey for those who have devoted their lives to the church and now seek a different path.
How Influential
Surface Forms
laicization singular
laicizations plural
Morphology
Etymology
The word laicization comes from laic and laity, which mean 'not clergy' or 'of the people', together with -ization meaning 'process'. So the laicization of a priest is the process of making them 'lay' again by removing their clerical status and returning them to ordinary life.
