Priest facing fraud charges attempts Canon Law defense

In the Light of the Law:

Dennis Riccitelli, a priest from Arizona, is facing state prosecution for alleged theft and/or fraud against his former parish, Holy Cross (Mesa). But Riccitelli is trying to raise canon law (specifically, norms on the administration of ecclesiastical property) as a defense to his state prosecution. His canonical argument got the trial judge's attention, as it should. It also has prosecutors worried; but it shouldn't.

Riccitelli's case might not be an ideal one through which to encourage, even on a small scale, civil law to recognize, where appropriate, the relevance of canon law in American law and society, but it's preferable, I think, to its serving as an occasion to repudiate entirely civil consideration of canonical arguments. With all the usual caveats about commenting on stories reported in the secular press, let's see why.

[Read more here.]