Clerical sexual abuse, another consequence of the Sexual Revolution
Ruth Institute praises judge in clergy sex abuse case, calls on Church to laicize offending priest.
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld Fr. Michael Guidry’s conviction and 10-year sentence for child molestation handed down in 2019.
Ruth Institute Founder and President Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, Ph.D., stated:
“We applaud the decision to deny Fr. Guidry’s motion to reduce his sentence. The Appeals Court rightly rejected all of his specious arguments for leniency. As advocates for victims of clerical sexual abuse, and for reform in the Catholic Church, the Ruth Institute is heartened by this decision.”
Fr. Guidry, a priest of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, pled guilty to child molestation in March 2019. His victim was a 16-year-old son of a deacon who served with Fr. Guidry on the altar. Guidry was also a close family friend, making the betrayal of trust all the more egregious.
The Ruth Institute, based in nearby Lake Charles, Louisiana, has been following the case closely. Morse interviewed the victim’s parents in June 2019, when the matter first became public.
“This interview opened my eyes to how predators ‘groom’ their victims, sometimes over a long period,” Morse explained.
“The appeals court ruling describes how Fr. Guidry repeatedly gave alcohol to his teenage victim. Everyone should be aware of how ‘grooming’ works, so they can be on the lookout for it.”
Morse said she wished to correct one part of local Lafayette news station, KATC News’ report of the case, which called Guidry a “former St. Landry Parish priest.”
“Regrettably, Fr. Guidry is not a ‘former priest.’” Morse said.
“He is still a priest, though no longer in active ministry. To the best of my knowledge, there has been no move to laicize him.”
Laicization is the formal term under Roman Catholic Canon Law for removing a man from the clerical state. In other words, make him no longer a priest.
Morse stated:
[Photo: Leslie Westbrook, The Advocate]“We are pleased that the civil authorities have done justice in Fr. Guidry’s case. We now call on the Church authorities to likewise do the right thing. On behalf of the Ruth Institute and our worldwide coalition of activists and leaders, we call upon Bishop Douglas Deshotel of Lafayette to begin the process of laicizing Fr. Guidry.”
Recent Articles:
15 May 2026
6.9 MINS
As Pentecost Sunday approaches, what does the outpouring of the Holy Spirit mean for the Church in Australia today? A timely reflection on power, unity, and bold witness.
15 May 2026
11.2 MINS
A 2015 ABC Lateline interview revisited: Katy Faust, raised by lesbian mothers, calmly dismantles Australia's most probing journalist with compelling, child-centred arguments against same-sex marriage.
14 May 2026
5.4 MINS
One 17-year-old hostage called her mother from Gaza: “Mum, they’re going to rape me.” Her testimony is one of 430 gathered by the Civil Commission as evidence of what it calls kinocide: Hamas’s deliberate weaponisation of family bonds to maximise suffering.
14 May 2026
2.6 MINS
Antifa targets detransitioner Chloe Cole, forcing the postponement of her University of Washington speaking event amid death threats and false accusations linking her to an unrelated campus murder.
13 May 2026
3.3 MINS
The ABC's reaction to the historic Lower House win of Pauline Hanson's One Nation reveals more about media elites than the voters they're so eager to diagnose.
5 May 2026
5.6 MINS
The Trump administration's Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias has released its 2026 report, documenting years of federal discrimination against Christians and outlining steps toward restoration.
30 April 2026
1.8 MINS
At a recent meeting, I was shocked and challenged by the speaker as he spoke about the Gay Bible. We sinful humans are twisting God's Word into our own image.
