{"id":271264,"date":"2026-08-24T15:18:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T15:18:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/271264\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T15:18:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T15:18:21","slug":"vatican-defrocks-former-scranton-priest-following-child-abuse-allegations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/271264\/","title":{"rendered":"Vatican Defrocks Former Scranton Priest Following Child Abuse Allegations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/pennwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/a-wooden-christian-cross-with-bright-sun-and-clouds-SBI-301081002-scaled.jpg\" data-caption=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"696\" height=\"397\" class=\"entry-thumb td-modal-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/a-wooden-christian-cross-with-bright-sun-and-clouds-SBI-301081002-696x397.jpg\"   alt=\"\" title=\"A wooden cross with sky\"\/><\/a> <\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"0\">A former priest in the Diocese of Scranton has been formally defrocked by the Vatican following substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse, a decree that permanently ends his status in the Catholic priesthood.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"1\">Christopher R. Clay, 62, was dispensed from the clerical state effective July 24, diocese officials announced. The decision came after Clay submitted a petition requesting dispensation to Pope Leo XIV in March.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"2\">Under canonical law, the punishment strips Clay of all priestly faculties. He is permanently barred from celebrating Mass, administering sacraments, preaching, wearing clerical attire, or using the title \u201cFather.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"3\">Clay\u2019s history of allegations dates back decades:<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4,0,0\">2002: Removed from his posts as chaplain and theology teacher at Bishop Hafey High School in Hazleton Township amid a law enforcement investigation into alleged sexual misconduct with a teenage boy in 1998, when Clay was affiliated with the Newman House oratory in Mount Pocono.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4,1,0\">2003\u20132004: Placed on a leave of absence in 2003 and formally removed from ministry in 2004 after the diocese deemed a sexual assault allegation involving a minor to be credible.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4,2,0\">2018: Named in a landmark Pennsylvania grand jury report that cited dozens of religious leaders and accused six dioceses, including Scranton, of covering up widespread abuse.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4,3,0\">2024: Located in Texas after the diocese lost track of his whereabouts for two decades following his 2004 removal. Officials learned he was attempting to exercise ministry in the Diocese of Fort Worth, around the same time a second credible accusation of minor sexual assault surfaced.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\">The initial 1998 allegation against Clay came to light through a federal lawsuit filed by a former high school student. The suit targeted two priests, Carlos Urrutigoity and Eric Ensey, who belonged to the Society of St. John\u2014a traditionalist Catholic group in Pike County that Clay helped found. The Diocese of Scranton paid $380,000 to settle the lawsuit. Though investigated by Pocono Mountain Regional Police, Clay was never criminally charged and maintained his innocence.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\">Officials confirmed Clay currently lives as a private citizen in Dallas, Texas. The Diocese of Scranton noted that authorities in both the Diocese of Dallas and the Diocese of Fort Worth have been notified of his laicization and updated status.<\/p>\n<p><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pennwatchmedia.com\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"PW_2024_LeaderAd\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PW_2024_LeaderAd.png\" alt=\"\"   width=\"728\" height=\"90\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A former priest in the Diocese of Scranton has been formally defrocked by the Vatican following substantiated allegations&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":271265,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[178,180,179],"class_list":["post-271264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-scranton","tag-scranton","tag-scranton-headlines","tag-scranton-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=271264"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271264\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/271265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=271264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=271264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=271264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}