Ex-Catholic church leader in LR dismissed as a priest

— The Catholic Church has dismissed Royce Thomas, a former leader of one of Arkansas’ largest Catholic parishes, from the priesthood after a “history of professional misconduct as a priest,” Little Rock Bishop Anthony Taylor said.

Thomas, who has been a priest for more than four decades, was first removed from his role as leader of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church in Little Rock in 2010 because of alcohol-related problems. About 1,000 people attend services at Our Lady of the Holy Souls each weekend.

Thomas “agreed to go to an alcohol treatment center for an assessment,” Taylor said in a 2010 homily.

But the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome issued a decree on Dec. 29, fully dismissing Thomas as a priest, Taylor said in a statement posted Monday on the Diocese of Little Rock’s website.

“While he remains a Catholic in good standing, the congregation also required me to inform him of the restrictions imposed on him by Rome regarding any future public ministry as a layman in the Church,” Taylor said.

Thomas did not return phone calls Tuesday.

Ordained on Dec. 19, 1969, Thomas spent most of his life serving the Little Rock diocese as a pastor and educator.

He grew up in Texarkana as the oldest of 10 children, and he later became a chaplain in the Arkansas National Guard, gaining the rank of colonel before retiring in 2008.

Taylor said in his statement that he met with Thomas on Sunday to inform him of the church’s decree, which “dispenses him from all the obligations connected with sacred ordination, including sacred celibacy, and deprives him of all ecclesiastical honors previously received and offices previously held.”

Thomas’ removal from the priesthood stirred questions among supporters this week. A Facebook group called “Msgr. Royce Thomas, we support you,” had 982 members Tuesday afternoon.

The page includes posts that followed the most recent announcement from the diocese, accusing the church of a lack of forgiveness and expressing support for the former priest.

Arkansas, Pages 9 on 01/09/2013

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