defrocked priest
Expelled religious leader
A defrocked priest is a clergyman who has been stripped of his priestly status and authority, typically as punishment for serious misconduct.
The term appears most often in news coverage of Catholic priests removed for sexual abuse: The defrocked priest was arrested on new charges.
Defrocking—also called laicization—removes the right to perform sacraments and wear clerical garb.
- excommunicatedOfficially cut from church
- fallenHaving dropped down
- fallen from graceLost former high standing
- disgracedBrought into shame
- scandalDisgraceful public affair
sex scandal · cassock · collar · clergy · man of the cloth · holy orders · canon law · church · confession · sin · altar · parish · diocese · abuse · seminary · Roman collar · vows · celibacy
- Former Rolesex-president, ex-wife, ex-husband, ex-boyfriend, ex-girlfriend
- sinnerssinner, transgressor, evildoer, wrongdoer, blasphemer
defrocked priestordained minister
Sanctioned religious authority figure
parish priest · cardinal · monsignor · vicar · bishop
defrock, defrocked, defrocking, defrocks, frock, frocks, frocked, priest, priests