Arkansas Diocese Removes FSSP Priest.

The Diocese of Little Rock issued a statement Nov. 14 regarding the removal of Father Laurent Demets, FSSP, who first served at St. John the Baptist Latin Mass Community in North Little Rock in 2007. He established the St. Pio de Pietrelcina Latin Mass Community in Cherokee Village in 2009, which meets at St. Michael Church.

"On Monday, Nov. 7 a credible allegation of suspected child abuse -- slapping a child -- was lodged against Rev. Laurent Demets, a member of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, presently serving as the chaplain of the St. Pio de Pietrelcina Latin Mass Community in Cherokee Village regarding an incident alleged to have occurred at St. Michael Church in Cherokee Village. The allegation does not involve sɛҳuąƖ misconduct. The procedures of the Diocese of Little Rock for handling such allegations were followed. The preliminary investigation confirmed by Father Demets' own admission the credibility of the allegation and the matter was reported to the State of Arkansas Hotline for Crimes against Children as mandated by state law. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor has suspended Father Demets' faculties to function as a priest effective Nov. 9, 2011, and has removed him from the Latin Mass Community in Cherokee Village pending completion of the investigation.

"In the meantime, the Latin Mass Community will celebrate Mass in English with the parish community of St. Michael until such time as the Rev. Eric Flood, district superior for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, is able to provide a new chaplain for the community. Please keep everyone in your prayers."

When I was growing up the public and the parochial schools ALL had corporal punishment. If we mouthed off to the Dominican sisters in our grade school, we were promptly slapped and if our parents found out about it, we were slapped again or spanked. It taught you that bad deeds had bad consequences, sometimes immediately.

The bishop is a coward who gave in to political correctness. He should have defended the priest.

It is simply idiotic, in this climate, for a priest to slap a child.  Father  Demets should be disciplined for a complete lack of self-control and common sense, if nothing else.

gimme that old time religion.

 

Scary times we live in.

Stop and consider that there are two sides to this story before you condemn.  It's very easy for us to sit here and judge Fr. Demets for his complete lack of self control but, you don't know what this kid did or how he might have provoked him. For all we know this kid might be a little tyrant who was constantly harassing this priest.  It is tragic what has happened and I for one will be praying that this mess will end favorably for all.  I also think that the Church might be overreacting in this case in an effort to protect it's reputation in the wake of the sex abuse scandal.

I don't care what the kid did, unless he physically attacked the priest.  As far as I know it is no a question of self-defense.  It is illegal to hit a child who is not your won.  It is assault.  It is a crime.  And it is monumentally stupid for a priest to do it, knowing  the climate around priests and children to be what it is.