Welcome to the Not Old Better Show. I'm Paul Vogel saying and this is episode number 320.

Certainly a difficult day for all people of faith, the subject of Theodore McCarick, a former Cardinal,

an Archbishop of Washington, who's been stripped of all rights and obligations as a member of the Catholic

clergy, is on everybody's mind today.

This has been quite a topic in our home.

In his capacity as Archbishop of Washington,

both popes and presidents took advice from Theodore McCarick.

No more.

Officially, Theodore McCarick has been defrocked or laiacized, a rare and severe penalty after allegations

of sexual misconduct against the former Cardinal were proved credible last summer.

The defrocking is a tribunal process conducted

by Vatican officials led by Pope Francis. The timeline is as follows. Last month,

January 11th, a decree was issued finding McCarick guilty of solicitation in the

sacrament of confession and sins against the Sixth Commandment involving both minors and adults with the aggravating factor of the abuse of power.

On February 13th, McCarick appealed the finding and on February 15th the appeal was denied.

Pope Francis himself signed off on the decision. That brings us current and after all this we're going to be speaking

with Dr. Chad Pecknelled. Dr Pecknelled is with the Catholic University of America and is chairman of the Academy of Catholic Theology.

We'll be speaking with Dr. Peknell to address some of these issues of faith, morality,

and the various intersections thereof.

This is a difficult subject in right or wrong clergy as representatives of God are, of course,

held to a higher standard, one that no one can be satisfied by condemnation of another least of all me.

These are questions of responsibility, future of the church and dignity.

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