Advent Group - Supporting Priests & Religious since 1969

Aims of Advent

+ To be a support group for men and women and their partners who have left the active ministry, or religious life.

+ To offer a safe haven for men and women who are considering change.

+ To be a support for others closely involved with the priest's or religious' decision.

+ To work for change in the Church and its ministry

Can a dispensed priest return to ministry?

: Written by: I love my Catholic Faith; Created: 18 August 2026

✝️CAN A PRIEST WHO LEFT THE PRIESTHOOD RETURN TO ACTIVE MINISTRY? 😲🤔

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This is a question many of you asked after our recent post on how “a priest is a priest forever.”

Sir Anthony Kenny has died

: Written by: Alex Walker; Created: 08 August 2026

Sir Anthony Kenny was the Giant of Oxford University academic. He left the Catholic priesthood to pursue the study of philosophy to understand why people behave the way they do.

Two years after leaving religious life.

: Written by: Daniel P. Horan; Created: 06 August 2026

2 years after leaving religious life: Reflections on grace, marriage and clericalism | National Catholic Reporter https://share.google/pWcA3HZ7O1vENpeAF

It has been nearly two years since I shared publicly in NCR that I had decided to
leave religious life after a lengthy period of prayer, reflection and dialogue. I had
been a member of the Franciscan order for 20 years and an ordained priest for more
than a dozen years, and as an academic and public figure beyond pastoral ministry, I
was used to sharing my thoughts and ideas with the broader world.