Vatican Upholds Deacon’s Excommunication After Son’s Abuse

The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith rejected former Louisiana deacon Scott Peyton’s appeal, upholding his excommunication after he and his family joined an Anglican church. Peyton had left Catholic ministry after a priest in his diocese sexually abused his son, and has criticized the Church’s handling of the abuse and its decision to excommunicate him. The Vatican said joining another Christian community amounted to rejecting communion with the Catholic Church; the priest was convicted and imprisoned but remains a priest. Peyton, who now worships with a nondenominational congregation, plans to challenge the ruling again.