“Father Sam”, a Salvadoran priest, will request dispensation from the clerical state.

2023-11-17 07:05:34
P. Samuel Bonilla. | Credit: Screenshot Youtube Cathopray

Father Samuel Bonilla Amaya, a priest of Salvadoran origin who has worked in countries such as Honduras and Mexico; and he is known on social media as “Father Sam,” announced that he will request dispensation from the clerical state.

Father Sam was ordained a deacon on June 20, 2015 and received priestly ordination on January 16, 2016. He is the youngest of seven brothers and was also a contributor to ACI Prensa and ChurchPop.

In a video published on his networks this November 15, the 34-year-old priest said: “After a very good time of reflection, spiritual, human and psychological accompaniment, in freedom and conscience, and in dialogue with the competent authorities, I have made the decision to request the Holy Father for dispensation from the clerical state, this is my resignation from the exercise of the ministerial priesthood.” “This means that I will no longer administer the sacraments and will follow the canonical procedures that this entails. I will remain a priest forever, but I will no longer exercise my priestly ministry. “I am going to request the waiver,” he continued.

The Code of Canon Law establishes in canon 290 that “once validly received, sacred ordination is never annulled.” However, the cleric can request dispensation from the clerical state, which according to canon 292 means that “he loses with him the rights proper to that state, and is no longer subject to the obligations of the clerical state.”

The priest, who in June changed the name of his social networks from Father Sam to Cathopray, explained that this decision has taken him years. “It has been difficult, but at this moment it is a decision that I make with great peace in my heart. Needless to say, I am not renouncing the Church, much less my Catholic faith.”