Recently, a well-known priest in Santa Fe resigned due to “personal reasons.” While I don’t know those reasons, I am familiar with the priest and the actions he’s displayed publicly over the years. I don’t want to disparage him but based upon my experience with him and with other religious leaders, I can say that anyone who places themselves above a congregation of any kind should be accountable in the same way as therapists, counselors, and psychologists. This means, in my opinion, that religious leaders should be subjected to thorough background checks as part of a licensure process. While organizations may have internal processes, it’s painfully clear that they simply don’t work.
I am aware that Catholic priests are subject to Canon Law, I can say that violations of Canon law are often dispensed via internal mechanisms and not publicly. In the case of the recently resigned priest, neither the congregation nor the greater Santa Fe community will ever fully know what those supposed “personal reasons” are. Why should we? Simply because this man placed himself above a group of people and his resignation has left a unneeded fracture, both within the Church and within Santa Fe. The rift between his supporters and his detractors could be somewhat healed in knowing why he resigned. Allegations and rumors produce smoke, but without the fire, arguments will persist about his reasons.
Which is why we need religious leaders to be subject to some type of formal licensure process. Religious leaders have power that is often far greater than the power counselors, therapists, and psychologists have. Furthermore, any person can become a “pastor” and open a church without any real proof of credentials. If someone is charismatic and at least superficially knowledgeable about the bible, that person can gain a following without ever having to go through even a cursory background check. Really, if people find that person “anointed,” he or she can be their pastor.
If religious leaders kept their scope of practice to teaching about religious stuff, I’d have less of a problem with their lack of public accountability. However, they often hear people’s confessions and provide advice to members of their congregations, much like counselors do. For example, I was having coffee with a friend when I witnessed a local pastor providing marital advice to a couple. I know this man and I know that he is not a licensed family counselor and I also know that he does not have the educational background to provide marital advice. Yet, there he was, at a Starbucks, providing marital advice in a public setting. My head nearly exploded. But since he’s a pastor, there is nothing I can do about it. I can’t file an ethics complaint. I can’t call his supervising agency. I can’t do anything to express how wrong his actions were. Formal counseling should never, ever be done in a public setting.
Our spirituality is among the most personal aspects of our lives. Those who attempt to lead our spirituality should be held to a high standard and from my own personal experiences, I think that they can often act with impunity as though they are above reproach. They act that way because, sadly, they are.
