ILLINOIS
Daily Southtown
Ted Slowik
On its website, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet publishes a document called, “List of Diocesan Priests With a Credible/Substantial Allegation.”
When I checked Friday, the list contained 35 names and was last updated in late 2016.
I’d like you to take note of the word “diocesan” in the document’s title.
In the Roman Catholic Church, there’s a difference between diocesan priests and members of religious orders. You may be familiar with the names of some religious orders. Franciscans, Jesuits, Benedictines, Dominicans and Carmelites rank among the more well-known.
There’s a notable distinction between the two types of clerics. Diocesan priests answer to their bishop, archbishop or cardinal. Members of religious orders answer to superiors who lead their congregation. The pope has authority over both types of Catholics.
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