From Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda
Martin Jaques was ordained a permanent deacon of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis in 2000. In May 2022, he was temporarily removed from ministry due to an allegation of offensive conduct with a minor in the early 2000s. Law enforcement was notified, but decided not to investigate. The Archdiocese, in consultation with the Ministerial Review Board, then commenced its investigation to determine the deacon’s fitness for ministry. As that investigation was underway, Deacon Jaques presented a voluntary petition to Pope Francis for a dispensation from the obligations of the clerical state, commonly referred to as a “request for laicization.”
Deacon Jaques’ petition was presented to the Holy Father, and I have recently been informed that the request was granted. That means that Deacon Jaques will from this point forward live as a lay person and will no longer be recognized as a deacon of the Catholic Church serving in any diocese. I am hopeful that Pope Francis’ decision will help bring closure to those who have been involved in this situation.
