Catholic priests in public office

Short description: Catholic priests holding government positions

Part of a series on the
Canon law of the
Catholic Church

Ius vigens (current law)

* 1983 Code of Canon Law
* Omnium in mentem
* Magnum principium
* Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
* Ad tuendam fidem
* Ex corde Ecclesiae
* Indulgentiarum Doctrina
* Pastor bonus
* Pontificalis Domus
* Veritatis gaudium
* Custom
* Matrimonial nullity trial reforms of Pope Francis
* Documents of the Second Vatican Council
* Christus Dominus
* Lumen gentium
* Optatam totius
* Orientalium ecclesiarum
* Presbyterorum ordinis
* Sacrosanctum concilium
* Precepts of the Church

Legal history

Jus antiquum (c. 33-1140)

* Ancient Church Orders
* Didache
* The Apostolic Constitutions
* Canons of the Apostles
* Collections of ancient canons
* Collectiones canonum Dionysianae
* Collectio canonum quadripartita
* Collectio canonum Quesnelliana
* Collectio canonum Wigorniensis
* Decretum Gelasianum
* Symmachian forgeries
* Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals
* Donation of Constantine
* Gregorian Reform
* Lay investiture controversy
* Dictatus papae
* Libertas ecclesiae
* Plenitudo potestatis

Jus novum (c. 1140-1563)

* Corpus Juris Canonici
* Decretum Gratiani
* Decretist
* Canon Episcopi
* Margaritae
* Jus commune
* Decretals of Gregory IX
* Decretalist
* Regulæ Juris
* Extravagantes
* Liber Septimus

Jus novissimum (c. 1563-1918)

* Council of Trent
* Benedictus Deus (Pius IV)
* Tametsi
* Apostolicae Sedis moderationi

Jus codicis (1918-present)

* 1917 Code of Canon Law
* Ecclesiae Sanctae
* 1983 Code of Canon Law

Other

* Contractum trinius
* Papal judge-delegate
* Right of option

Oriental law

* Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
* Eastern Canonical Reforms of Pius XII
* Nomocanon
* Archeparchy
* Eparchy
* Exarchate
* Ordinariate for Eastern Catholic faithful
* Protosyncellus
* Territory dependent on the Patriarch

Liturgical law

Latin Church

* General Roman Calendar
* Ranking of liturgical days in the Roman Rite
* General Instruction of the Roman Missal
* Code of Rubrics
* Magnum principium
* Liturgiam authenticam
* Mysterii Paschalis
* Sacrosanctum concilium
* Tra le sollecitudini
* Musicam sacram
* Summorum Pontificum
* Quattuor abhinc annos
* Ecclesia Dei
* Red Mass
* Holy Day of Obligation

Sacramental law

* Communicatio in sacris
* Ex opere operato
* Omnium in mentem
* Valid but illicit

Sacraments

* Holy Orders
* Impediment (canon law)
* Abstemius
* Defect of birth
* Obligation of celibacy
* Nullity of Sacred Ordination
* Apostolicae curae
* Dimissorial letters
* Episcopal Co-Consecrators
* Approbation
* Confession
* Penitential canons
* Paenitentiale Theodori
* Seal of the Confessional
* Internal forum
* Note on the importance of the internal forum and the inviolability of the Sacramental Seal
* Apostolic Penitentiary
* Canon penitentiary
* Complicit absolution
* Sacramentum Poenitentiae
* Eucharist
* Eucharistic discipline
* Canon 915
* Celebret
* Mass stipend

Sacramentals

* Indulgence
* Indulgentiarum doctrina

Sacred places

* Altars
* Major basilica
* Minor basilica
* Oratory (chapel)

Sacred times

* Feast days
* Fast days and abstinence
* Paenitemini
* Holy day of obligation

Matrimonial law

* Canonical form (Latin Church)
* Tametsi
* Ne Temere
* Banns of Marriage
* Declaration of Nullity
* Dignitas connubii
* Matrimonial Nullity Trial Reforms of Pope Francis
* Vetitum
* Defender of the Bond
* Impediments to Marriage
* Affinity
* Bigamy
* Clandestinity
* Impediment of crime
* Disparity of Cult
* Ligamen
* Public propriety
* Matrimonial Dispensation
* Ratum sed non consummatum
* Sanatio in radice
* Natural marriage
* Pauline privilege
* Petrine privilege

Supreme authority, particular
churches, & canonical structures

Supreme authority of the Church

* Roman Pontiff
* College of Bishops

Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures

* College of Cardinals

* Conference of bishops
* Synod of Bishops

Particular churches

* Churches sui juris
* Latin Church
* Eastern Catholic Churches
* Local particular churches
* Appointment of bishops
* Abbacy nullius
* Apostolic vicariate
* Apostolic vicar
* Apostolic administration
* Apostolic administrator
* Diocese/Archdiocese
* Aeque principaliter
* Cathedraticum
* In persona episcopi
* Diocesan Curia
* Moderator of the Curia
* Chancery
* Deanery
* Vicar forane
* Archeparchy
* Eparchy
* Eparchal curia
* Territory dependent on the Patriarch
* Military ordinariate
* Mission sui juris
* Personal ordinariate
* Anglicanorum Coetibus

Juridic persons

* Parish
* Team of priests in solidum
* Collegiate church
* Register
* Lay trusteeism
* Roman Curia
* Dicastery
* Congregation
* Pontifical council
* Personal Prelature
* Types of membership of Opus Dei
* Association of the Christian faithful
* Vicar general
* Quinquennial visit ad limina

Jurisprudence

* Canonical coronation
* Canonically crowned images
* Computation of time
* Custom
* Delegata potestas non potest delegari
* Derogation
* Dispensation
* Taxa Innocentiana
* Faculty
* Indult
* Impediment
* Interpretation
* Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
* Jurisdiction
* Peritus
* Obreption & subreption
* Obrogation
* Promulgation
* Resignation of the Roman Pontiff
* Sede vacante
* Simony
* Vacatio legis
* Valid but illicit
* Visitation
* Apostolic visitor

Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of canon law

* Theology
* Ecclesiology
* Treatise on Law
* Determinatio

Temporal goods (property)

* Benefice
* Cathedraticum
* Contract law
* Mass stipend
* Stole fee
* Temporalities

Law of persons

* Person (canon law)
* Formal act of defection from the Catholic Church
* Canonical age
* Emancipation
* Exemption

Clerics

* Secular clergy
* Regular clergy
* Obligation of celibacy
* Clerics and public office
* Incardination and excardination
* Laicization (dispensation)
* Canonical faculties

Office

* Canonical provision
* Canonical election

Juridic and physical persons

* Jus patronatus

Associations of the faithful

Consecrated life

Canonical documents

* Acta Apostolicae Sedis
* Acta Sanctae Sedis
* Censor librorum
* Imprimatur
* Imprimi potest
* Notary (canon law)
* Protonotary apostolic
* Apostolic constitution
* Canon
* Concordat
* Decree
* Decretal
* Encyclical
* Motu proprio
* Ordinance
* Papal brief
* Papal bull
* Penitential
* Positive law
* Rescript
* Parish register
* Ecclesiastical Latin

Penal law

* Canon 1324
* Canon 1398
* Censure (canon law)
* De delictis gravioribus
* Complicit absolution
* Crimen sollicitationis
* Excommunication
* List of excommunicable offences in the Catholic Church
* List of people excommunicated by the Catholic Church
* List of excommunicated cardinals
* Interdict
* Internal forum
* Laicization (penal)
* Latae sententiae
* Lifetime of prayer and penance
* Canonical admonitions
* Ecclesiastical prison

Procedural law

Pars statica (tribunals & ministers/parties)

* Tribunals
* Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
* Tribunal of the Roman Rota
* Apostolic Penitentiary
* Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
* Ministers of Justice
* Judicial Vicar/Officialis
* Auditor
* Parties
* Defender of the Bond
* Procurator

Pars dynamica (trial procedure)

* Dignitas connubii (matrimonial causes)
* Appeal as from an abuse
* Presumption
* Penal procedure
* Vos estis lux mundi

Canonization

* Congregation for the Causes of Saints
* Maiorem hac dilectionem
* Advocatus Diaboli
* Oblatio vitae
* Positio
* Beatification and canonization process in 1914

Election of the Roman Pontiff

* Current law
* Universi Dominici gregis
* Papal renunciation
* Reforms of Pope Benedict XVI
* Historical
* Cum proxime
* Jus exclusivae
* Papal appointment
* Aeterni Patris Filius
* Romano Pontifici eligendo
* Ingravescentem aetatem
* Ubi periculum
* Quia propter

Legal practice and scholarship

* List of legal abbreviations

Academic degrees

* Licentiate of Canon Law
* Doctor of Canon Law
* Doctor of both laws

Journals and Professional Societies

* Canon Law Society of America
* The Jurist

Faculties of canon law

* School of Canon Law

Canonists

* Medieval
* Gratian
* Hostiensis
* Jean Lemoine
* Raymond of Penyafort
* Rufinus
* Johannes Teutonicus
* Geoffrey of Trani
* Burchard of Worms
* Brocard
* Modern & Contemporary
* Eugenio Corecco
* John D. Faris
* Pietro Gasparri
* Ladislas Orsy
* Edward N. Peters

Law of consecrated life

* Solemn vow
* Exclaustration
* Manifestation of Conscience
* Canonical erection of a house of religious
* Pontifical right
* Diocesan right
* Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

Institute of consecrated life

* Religious institute
* Congregation
* Order
* Monasticism
* Canons regular
* Mendicant orders
* Clerics regular
* Secular institute
* Cum Sanctissimus
* Primo Feliciter
* Provida Mater Ecclesia

Society of apostolic life

* Decretum laudis

* v
* t
* e

Template:Religious freedom

A number of Catholic priests have served in public office.[1] The Catholic Church discourages and restricts this practice.

## Contents

* 1 In canon law
* 2 Laws by country
* 2.1 Andorra
* 3 Examples by country
* 3.1 Austria
* 3.2 Canada
* 3.3 Czech Republic
* 3.4 Dominican Republic
* 3.5 France
* 3.6 Germany
* 3.7 Libya
* 3.8 Nicaragua
* 3.9 Nigeria
* 3.10 Paraguay
* 3.11 Poland
* 3.12 Slovakia and Czechoslovakia
* 3.13 Solomon Islands
* 3.14 United Kingdom
* 3.15 United States
* 4 List of priests who have held public office
* 5 See also
* 6 References

## In canon law

Roman Catholic canon law discourages and restricts members of the clergy from holding secular civil or political office. Canon 285 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which governs the Latin Church, states that priests "are to avoid those things which, although not unbecoming, are nevertheless foreign to the clerical state" and prohibits clergy from assuming "public offices which entail a participation in the exercise of civil power."[2][3] The same canon makes an exception for priests who have the permission of their bishop.[2][3]

## Laws by country

The constitutions of Bolivia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Venezuela prohibit members of the clergy from serving as president.[4] The Constitution of Paraguay prohibits clergy of any religion from becoming candidates for president, vice president, senator, deputy, or departmental governor.[5] The Constitution of Myanmar prohibits "members of religious orders" from serving as president or as members of the Pyithu Hluttaw, the lower house of parliament.[4][6] Article 130 of the Constitution of Mexico prohibits clergy from holding any public office, among other restrictions.[4][7]

### Andorra

The Bishop of Urgell is a ruling co-prince of Andorra; the bishop's ex officio role as a monarch has existed since 1278. The bishop additionally sends a personal representative to rule as a viceroy in their stead.

## Examples by country

### Austria

Ignaz Seipel, a priest, theologian and academic, served as the Foreign Minister of Austria from 1926 to 1929 and in 1930, and served as Chancellor of Austria from 1922 to 1924 and 1926 to 1929.

Theodor Innitzer, who would become a cardinal and Archbishop of Vienna, served as the Austrian Minister of Social Affairs from 1929 to 1930.

### Canada

Three Catholic priests have been elected to the House of Commons of Canada.

Andrew Hogan was the first Catholic priest to serve as a Canadian Member of Parliament. First elected to represent the electoral district of Cape Breton—East Richmond, Nova Scotia, in the 1974 federal election, he was re-elected in 1979 but defeated in 1980. Hogan was a member of the New Democratic Party.

Robert Ogle was elected to the House of Commons in 1979 in the electoral district of Saskatoon East, Saskatchewan. Ogle was re-elected in 1980. He chose not to seek re-election in 1984 as a result of the new ban by the Holy See on clergy in public office. Like Hogan, Ogle was a member of the New Democratic Party.

Raymond Gravel was elected in a 2006 by-election in the electoral district of Repentigny, Quebec. He had received a dispensation from his diocesan bishop to enter politics. Gravel did not seek re-election in the 2008 federal election after Holy See authorities ordered him to choose between politics and the priesthood following controversy over his opposition to anti-abortion Bill C-484 and his support for the Order of Canada nomination of abortion rights activist Henry Morgentaler. Although he chose to leave politics, Gravel maintained that he remained, in accordance with Catholic doctrine, opposed to abortion.[8] Gravel was a member of the nationalist Bloc Québécois.

### Czech Republic

Daniel Herman is a laicized Roman Catholic priest who was Minister of Culture, representing the Christian Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU-ČSL).

### Dominican Republic

Fernando Arturo de Meriño, a priest who would later become an archbishop, served as President of the Dominican Republic from 1880 to 1882.

### France

Barthélemy Boganda, a priest from Ubangi-Shari (today the Central African Republic), was elected to the French National Assembly in 1946, serving until 1958. He left the priesthood in 1950 and married, and from 1958 to 1959 served as the first Prime Minister of the Central African Republic.

### Germany

Beda Weber was a German Benedictine priest who served as a member of the Frankfurt Parliament in 1849.

Ludwig Kaas was a priest of the Weimar Republic. In 1919 he was elected to the Weimar National Assembly and in 1920 was elected to the Reichstag, where he served until 1933.

### Libya

For a brief period in 2011 during the Libyan Civil War, the Nicaraguan priest Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann served as the Libyan ambassador to the United Nations.

### Nicaragua

In the 1970s and 80s, the President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, appointed three priests to his cabinet: Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fernando Cardenal as Minister of Education, and his brother, Ernesto Cardenal, as Minister of Culture.

### Nigeria

In 2023 Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, a Nigerian Catholic cleric and politician was elected to serve as a Nigerian governor in the state of Benue in 29 May 2023.

### Paraguay

In 2005, Fernando Lugo, the Bishop of San Pedro, requested laicization to run for office but it was denied. In 2008, he was elected President of Paraguay, in spite of Article 235 of the Constitution prohibiting any minister of any religion from serving as president. After his election he was laicized. In 2012, he was impeached for unrelated reasons.

### Poland

Hugo Kołłątaj was a Polish noble and Catholic priest who in 1786 received the office of the Referendary of Lithuania. He co-authored the Constitution of May 3, 1791 and held a variety of posts before falling out of political favor in 1802 as a result of his radical views.

Stanisław Staszic was a philosopher and political activist who served in the government of Congress Poland.

### Slovakia and Czechoslovakia

Andrej Hlinka served in the Parliament of Czechoslovakia from 1920 to 1938 and was leader of the Slovak People's Party from 1913 until his death.

From 1939 to 1945, the priest Jozef Tiso was President of the First Slovak Republic, a satellite state of Nazi Germany. Following World War II, he was convicted and hanged for treason that subsumed also war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

### Solomon Islands

Augustine Geve was a Catholic priest who served as a member of the National Parliament from 2001 to 2002 and was Minister of Youth, Women and Sports from 2001 to 2002. He was assassinated on 20 August 2002.

### United Kingdom

David Cairns, a laicised Catholic priest, was elected to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom between 2001 and 2011, following the House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Act 2001 which removed the ban on clergymen being elected as an MP.[9] Former Archbishops of Westminster Basil Hume and Cormac Murphy-O'Connor were individually offered life peerages and a seat in the House of Lords but both declined the offer.[10][11]

### United States

Possibly the earliest known instance of a Catholic priest serving in public office in the United States was Gabriel Richard. Born in France, he founded the University of Michigan and served as a delegate from Michigan Territory from 1823 to 1825.

Two priests, Robert Drinan and Robert John Cornell, have served in the United States Congress. In 1980, when Pope John Paul II decreed that priests not serve in elected office,[12] Representative Drinan withdrew from his re-election campaign, and Cornell withdrew from his bid to re-gain the seat he had lost in the 1978 Congressional election. In 1983, the prohibition on serving in governmental office was codified as section 3 of canon 285 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law.

## List of priests who have held public office

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

This list includes priests who held public office, the country in which they held office, and the office(s) they held.

Name  | Country  | Office(s)  | Ref.

|
|
|

Template:Sn |  Nigeria | Governor of Benue State (1992–1993)  | [13]
Template:Sn |  Ivory Coast | President of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2015–2017)  | [3]
Template:Sn |  Nigeria | Governor of Benue State (2023–present)  | [13]
Template:Sn |  Papua New Guinea | Governor of Chimbu (1997–1998)
Member of Parliament (1997–1998; 1999–2003)  | [14]
Template:Sn |  Haiti | President of Haiti (1991)  |
Template:Sn*  |  Spain | Member of the Congress of Deputies (1977–1980)  |
Template:Sn*  |  France
Central African Republic | Member of the National Assembly of France (1946–1958)
Premier of the Central African Republic (1958–1960)  |
Template:Sn |  Ivory Coast | Member of the Independent Electoral Commission (2014–2019)  | [3]
Template:Sn |  United Kingdom | Vice Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board (2001–2006)  | [15]
Template:Sn |  United Kingdom | Member of Parliament (2001–2011)
Minister of State for Scotland (2005–2008)  |
Template:Sn |  Nicaragua | Minister of Culture (1979–1987)  |
Template:Sn |  Nicaragua | Minister of Education (1984–1990)  |
Template:Sn |  United States | Member of the House of Representatives (1975–1979)  |
Template:Sn |  Slovenia | State Secretary for Primary Healthcare (2000)
Member of the National Assembly (2000–2011)
Speaker of the National Assembly (2004–2008)
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly (2008–2011)  |
Template:Sn | Template:Country data Crown Colony of Malta | Member of the National Assembly (1919)  | [16]
Template:Sn |  United States | Member of the House of Representatives (1971–1981)  |
Template:Sn |  India | Member of the Constituent Assembly (1946–1950)  |
Template:Sn |  Papua New Guinea | Member of Parliament (2021–2024)  | [17]
Template:Sn |  Nicaragua
Libya | Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua (1979–1990)
Ambassador of Libya to the United Nations (2011)  |
Template:Sn |  United States | Secretary of the Louisiana State Senate (1812–1813)
Member of the Senate (1813–1819)
Judge of the New Orleans Criminal Court (1821)
District Judge (1821–1822)  |
Template:Sn |  United States | Member of the House of Representatives (1853–1856; 1871–1873)  |
Template:Sn |  Papua New Guinea | Governor of Chimbu (2007–2012)
Member of Parliament (2007–2012)  |
Template:Sn |  Solomon Islands | Member of Parliament (2001–2002)
Minister of Youth, Women and Sports (2001–2002)  |
Template:Sn |  Canada | Member of Parliament (2006–2008)  | [18]
Template:Sn |  Croatia | Member of Parliament (2011–2015)  |
Template:Sn*  |  Czech Republic | Member of Chamber of Deputies (2013–2017)
Minister of Culture (1920–1933)  |
Template:Sn |  Czechoslovakia | Member of the National Assembly (1920–1938)  |
Template:Sn |  Canada | Member of Parliament (1974–1980)  | [18]
Template:Sn |  Austria | Minister of Social Affairs (1929–1930)  |
Template:Sn |  East Timor (UNTAET)  | Minister for Social Affairs (2000–2001)  | [19]
Template:Sn |  Germany | Member of the Weimar National Assembly (1919–1920)
Member of the Reichstag (1920–1933)  |
Template:Sn |  France | Mayor of Dijon (1945–1968)
Member of the National Assembly (1945–1967)  | [20]
Template:Sn | Template:Country data Kingdom of Poland | Vice-Chancellor of the Crown (1791–1792)  |
Template:Sn |  Togo | President of the High Council of the Republic (1991)
President of the National Assembly (1991–1994)  | [21]
Template:Sn |  Papua New Guinea | Governor of Western Highlands (1997–2002)
Member of Parliament (1997–2002)  |
Template:Sn |  United States | Member of the Alaska House of Representatives (1961–1963)  |
Template:Sn |  Uganda | Member of Parliament (2006–2021)
Minister of State for Industry and Technology (2009–2011)
Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity (2011–2021)
Member of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (2021–2022)  | [22]
Template:Sn |  Philippines | Mayor of Mabini, Davao de Oro (2022–present)  | [23]
Template:Sn*  |  Paraguay | President of Paraguay (2008–2012)
Member of the Senate (2013–2023)  |
Template:Sn |  Democratic Republic of the Congo | President of the Independent National Electoral Commission (2013–2015)  | [3]
Template:Sn | Template:Country data East Indonesia | Member of the Provisional Representative Body (1946–1950)  |
Template:Sn |  Canada | Member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick (1974–1992)
Provincial Minister of Labour and Multiculturalism (1987–1991)
Judge of the Provincial Court of New Brunswick (1992–2015)  | [24]
Template:Sn |  United States | Speechwriter and advisor to President Richard Nixon (1971–1974)  | [25][26]
Template:Sn |  Dominican Republic | President of the Chamber of Deputies (1878–1883)
President of the Dominican Republic (1880–1882)  |
Template:Sn |  South Africa | Member of Parliament (1994–1999)
Deputy Minister of Education (1996–1999)
Mayor of Tshwane (2000–2006)  | [27][28]
Template:Sn | Template:Country data Territory of Papua and New Guinea
Papua New Guinea | Member of the House of Assembly (1972–1975)
Member of Parliament (1977–2005)
Deputy Prime Minister (1985–1988)
Governor of Bougainville (1999–2005)
President of Bougainville (2010–2020)  |
Template:Sn |  Zaire | President of the Sovereign National Conference (1991)
President of the High Council of the Republic (1992–1994)
Speaker of the Transitional Parliament (1994–1995)  | [29]
Template:Sn |  Italy | Member of the Chamber of Deputies (1909–1913)  | [30]
Template:Sn |  Vietnam | Member of the National Assembly (2016–2021)  | [31]
Template:Sn |  United States | Secretary to the Governor of New York (2008)  | [32]
Template:Sn |  Canada | Member of Parliament (1979–1984)  | [18]
Template:Sn |  Uganda | Member of Parliament (2021–present)  | [33]
Template:Sn |  Ghana | Justice of the High Court (2020–present)  | [3]
Template:Sn | Template:Country data Crown Colony of Malta | Member of the Council of Government (1891–1892)
Member of the National Assembly (1919)
Member of the Senate (1921–1925)  | [34]
Template:Sn |  United States | Delegate to the House of Representatives (1823–1825)  |
Template:Sn |  Austria | Minister of Public Works and Social Welfare (1918)
Chancellor of Austria (1922–1924; 1926–1929)
Minister of the Interior (1923–1924; 1926–1929)
Minister of Foreign Affairs (1926–1929; 1930)  |
Template:Sn | Template:Country data Duchy of Warsaw
Template:Country data Congress Poland | Minister of State of the Duchy of Warsaw (1809–1810)
State Councillor of the Duchy of Warsaw (1810–1815)
Ministry of Industry of Poland (1816–1824)
Minister of State of Poland (1824–1826)  |
Template:Sn |  Austria
Austria-Hungary | Member of the Imperial Council (1860)
Grand Prefect of Virovitica County (1861–1862)
Member of the Croatian Parliament (1861–1873)  |
Template:Sn |  Italy | Vice-Mayor of Caltagirone (1905–1920)
Member of the Senate (1952–1959)  |
Template:Sn |  Philippines | Mayor of Damulog (2007–2016)  |
Template:Sn |  Czechoslovakia
Template:Country data Slovak Republic (1939–1945) | Minister of Health of Czechoslovakia (1927–1929)
Minister of the Interior of Slovakia
Prime Minister of Slovakia (1938–1939)
President of the Slovak Republic (1939–1945)  |
Template:Sn*  |  New Caledonia | Mayor of Hienghène (1977–1989)
Vice-President of the Government Council (1982–1984)  |
Template:Sn | Template:Country data German Confederation | Member of the Frankfurt National Assembly (1848–1849)  |
Template:Sn*  | Template:Country data French Congo
Congo | Mayor of Brazzaville (1956)
Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo (1958–1959)
Presidents of the Republic of the Congo (1960–1963)  |

*laicized before taking office

## See also

* Separation of church and state

## References

1. ↑ Kevin Schmiesing. "John A. Ryan, Virgil Michel, and the problem of clerical politics". VLex.com. http://law-journals-books.vlex.com/vid/ryan-virgil-michel-problem-clerical-54616553.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 (in en) Code of Canon Law. 1983. Can. 285. https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib2-cann208-329_en.html.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Sarr, Lucie (2020-09-25). "Is it right for priests to hold political or civic office?" (in en). https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/is-it-right-for-priests-to-hold-political-or-civic-office/13075.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Theodorou, Angelina E. (2014-07-22). "In 30 countries, heads of state must belong to a certain religion" (in en-US). https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/07/22/in-30-countries-heads-of-state-must-belong-to-a-certain-religion/.
5. ↑ "Paraguay 1992 (rev. 2011) Constitution" (in en). https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Paraguay_2011.
6. ↑ "Myanmar 2008 Constitution" (in en). https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Myanmar_2008.
7. ↑ Gomez Aban, M. Fernanda. "Mexico 1917 (rev. 2015) Constitution" (in en). https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Mexico_2015.
8. ↑ "Priest MP leaves politics after pressure from Vatican". 3 September 2008. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/priest-mp-leaves-politics-after-pressure-from-vatican-1.730234#articlecomments.
9. ↑ Percival, Jenny (2008-09-16). "Profile: David Cairns" (in en-GB). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/sep/16/labourleadership.labour1.
10. ↑ Davis, Francis (23 April 2009). "The cardinal must not become a peer". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2009/apr/23/cormac-lord-peerage-cardinal.
11. ↑ "Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor turns down peerage following Catholic row". 6 December 2009. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/6736484/Cardinal-Cormac-Murphy-OConnor-turns-down-peerage-following-Catholic-row.html.
12. ↑ Martin, Douglas (12 May 2009). "Robert J. Cornell, Priest Who Served as Congressman, Is Dead at 89". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/us/politics/12cornell.html.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Burton, Douglas (2023-07-02). "Suspended priest takes charge of Nigeria's strife-torn Benue State" (in en). https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254701/suspended-priest-takes-charge-of-nigeria-s-strife-torn-benue-state.
14. ↑ Fong, Lawrence (2024-09-02). "The Catholic Church and Politics: A PNG perspective" (in en). https://www.postcourier.com.pg/the-catholic-church-and-politicsa-png-perspective/.
15. ↑ "Denis Bradley" (in en). 2019-06-27. https://www.macgillsummerschool.com/denis-bradley-2/.
16. ↑ Muscat, Jake (2023-06-25). "Mgr Enrico Dandria: Priest, politician & patriot". https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2023-06-25/newspaper-lifestyleculture/Mgr-Enrico-Dandria-Priest-politician-patriot-6736252857.
17. ↑ "3 influential men pass on" (in en). 2024-11-29. https://www.thenational.com.pg/3-influential-men-pass-on/.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 "The Register Archive: Fr. Andy Hogan is Parliament's first priest-MP" (in en). 2018-07-10. https://www.catholicregister.org/item/27675-the-register-archive-fr-andy-hogan-is-parliament-s-first-priest-mp.
19. ↑ "UNTAET, East Timor shape new cabinet and legislative body". Tais Timor 1 (12). 6 August 2000. https://reliefweb.int/report/timor-leste/tais-timor-vol-i-no-12. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
20. ↑ Januel, Pierre (2025-07-20). "The extraordinary life and career of French MP Félix Kir". https://www.mediapart.fr/en/journal/france/200725/extraordinary-life-and-career-french-mp-felix-kir.
21. ↑ Atemanke, Jude (2024-01-09). "Catholic Archbishop Known for Freedom, Democracy Advocacy in Togo Dies at 93" (in en). https://www.aciafrica.org/news/9987/catholic-archbishop-known-for-freedom-democracy-advocacy-in-togo-dies-at-93.
22. ↑ "Uganda ex-minister Simon Lokodo dies in Geneva". 2022-01-29. https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/uganda-ex-minister-simon-lokodo-dies-in-geneva-3698606.
23. ↑ Bulosan, Chrislen (2022-05-12). "Priest wins mayoral race in Davao De Oro". https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/05/12/22/priest-wins-mayoral-race-in-davao-de-oro.
24. ↑ "Order of Moncton - Judge Michael McKee". 2019-08-31. https://www.moncton.ca/my-govt-work-mayors-office-order-moncton-recipients/order-moncton-judge-michael-mckee.
25. ↑ "RIP John McLaughlin: 'Nixon's priest,' speechwriter, talk show host" (in en). 2016-08-16. https://aleteia.org/blogs/aleteia-blog/rip-john-mclaughlin-nixons-priest-speechwriter-talk-show-host.
26. ↑ "Jesuit Was Ordered to Quit as Ford Aide". 1974-10-13. https://www.nytimes.com/1974/10/13/archives/jesuit-was-ordered-to-quit-as-ford-aide.html.
27. ↑ "Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa". https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/father-simangaliso-mkhatshwa.
28. ↑ "Father Mkhathswa". http://www.salga.org.za/event/snc-2022/1.html.
29. ↑ "Congolese cardinal, peace activist, dies at 81" (in en). 2021-07-12. https://cruxnow.com/church-in-africa/2021/07/congolese-cardinal-peace-activist-dies-at-81.
30. ↑ Guasco, Maurilio (2012). "MURRI, Romolo". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani 77. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/romolo-murri_(Dizionario-Biografico)/.
31. ↑ Ngô, Quốc Đông (2021-05-15). "Vị linh mục luôn hướng đến người nghèo" (in vi). https://nhandan.vn/vi-linh-muc-luon-huong-den-nguoi-ngheo-post646136.html.
32. ↑ Confessore, Nicholas; Hakim, Danny (2008-10-24). "Paterson Aide Quits in Furor Over His Taxes". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/25/nyregion/25obyrne.html.
33. ↑ "Priest who defied his Bishop to become an MP" (in en). 2021-01-31. https://www.ntv.co.ug/ug/news/national/priest-who-defied-his-bishop-to-become-an-mp-3275474.
34. ↑ Schiavone, Michael (2023-11-21). "Biography: Ignazio Panzavecchia" (in en-gb). https://timesofmalta.com/article/biography-ignazio-panzavecchia.1063716.

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