Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted has formally excommunicated a priest who left the diocese and took up residence in Southern California three years ago after resigning in a dispute over Church teaching on homosexuality.Bishop Olmstead informed Fr. Christopher Carpenter of his excommunication in an April 21 letter after Carpenter made it publicly known that he had joined the Reformed Catholic Church, which the Phoenix diocesan newspaper, the Catholic Sun, described as “a group that is not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church.”
Among other things, the Reformed Catholic Church supports the ordination of women, acceptance of homosexuality and a married priesthood.“As an excommunicated priest, Fr. Carpenter cannot participate in the celebration of the Mass or in any other ceremonies of worship,” the Catholic Sun reported.
“He is also prohibited from celebrating or receiving any of the sacraments, and cannot represent himself as a priest.”
In January 2006, after a run-in with Bishop Olmsted, Carpenter decided to leave the priesthood to work as “a non-denominational interfaith chaplain” at a hospice in Long Beach, the Arizona Republic reported at the time. The hospice was not named in the newspaper’s story. Carpenter promised he would not attempt to function as a priest in his position as a hospice chaplain. “From now on, I won’t formally identify myself as a priest or as ‘Father’ or dress as one,” he told the Republic.
The pro-homosexual website 365Gay.com described Carpenter as “a leader in the Phoenix Diocese’s ministry to gay and lesbian Catholics.” In May 2004, Carpenter was one of nine priests in the Phoenix diocese to sign “the Phoenix declaration,” which asserted, among other things, “Homosexuality is not a sickness, not a choice, and not a sin.” Bishop Olmsted immediately ordered the priests to remove their signatures from the statement.
“The enforcement of church doctrine and liturgical practice are taking a step backward to the pre-Vatican II era,” Carpenter told the Republic in a 2006 interview. “Attempting to turn back the clock and re-create a time when the Catholic Church enjoyed greater authority and respect culturally is not a realistic way to deal with current problems and challenges.”
“Fr. Carpenter has freely separated himself from the Church and has placed himself in schism,” said the Catholic Sun. “This act resulted in a censure known as a latae sententiae excommunication.” The diocesan newspaper said Bishop Olmsted’s April 21 letter to Carpenter represented a “Decree of Excommunication,” the formal means by which Carpenter was informed “of what had already happened by virtue of his schismatic act.”
Fr. Carpenter is the third diocesan priest excommunicated by Bishop Olmsted. In 2008, the bishop excommunicated Monsignor Dale Fushek, the former vicar general of the diocese. In 2005, Fushek was charged with 10 misdemeanor counts alleging sexual contact with teenagers. Bishop Olmsted had ordered Fushek to cease all public ministry, and when Fushek defied him by establishing the Praise and Worship Center in Chandler, Arizona, the bishop excommunicated him. Another former diocesan priest, Fr. Eugene Young, was also excommunicated after he joined the Reformed Catholic Church.
Bishop Olmsted has distinguished himself by taking a hard line both with his priests and with “Catholic” politicians when it comes to Church teachings. In 2005 he told priests in his diocese that they could not invite any public figure who disagrees with the Church’s fundamental teachings on issues like abortion and homosexual marriage to their parishes. The bishop also played a major role in promoting an unsuccessful 2006 Arizona ballot initiative that would have banned same-sex marriages.
“The bishop expressed sadness in Fr. Carpenter’s decision to leave the Church and offers his prayers for reconciliation with Christ and His Church,” said the Catholic Sun.
According to the Catholic News Agency, Carpenter “reportedly plans to begin a parish in California.”
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