Cagayan de Oro archbishop warns vs defrocked priest

MANILA, Philippines — Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Jose Cabantan on Wednesday warned the faithful against a former Roman Catholic priest who had been suspended after signifying his intention to marry, a violation of the Vatican’s Canon Law.

In a memorandum, Cabantan urged the faithful to refrain from inviting Fr. Melvin Clapano to celebrate masses in homes and to officiate house and office blessings within the archdiocese’s jurisdiction.

Clapano, according to the archbishop, was still celebrating mass despite already being defrocked for “attempting to contract a civil marriage.” It was not immediately known if Clapano’s civil marriage had occurred.

“Catholics should not knowingly join masses celebrated by Fr. Melvin Clapano or receive sacraments from him or invite him to officiate blessings,” Cabantan said.

A copy of the memorandum issued by Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Jose Cabantan against Fr. Melvin Clapano.

“Please refrain from inviting him and inform your parishioners and disseminate this information that he is prohibited and impeded by law to exercise his priestly ministry since he incurred a latae sententiae suspension by attempting to contract a civil marriage,” he further said.

The prelate said that in the past, Clapano has expressed his desire to return to active ministry but his suspension impeded this from service due to a violation of the Canon Law against contracting marriage, whose penalty may only be lifted by the Vatican.

Since then, Clapano had joined the North American Old Catholic Church, Archdiocese of California “whose members are not in full communion with the true Roman Catholic Church.”

“It may have the name ‘catholic’ but it is not in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church headed by the present Pope Francis. Therefore it is a schismatic group,” Cabantan said.

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