Illich himself resigned from the active priesthood in the late 1960s (having attained the rank of monsignor), but continued to identify as a priest and occasionally performed private masses.

The author took up writing in 1981 after retiring from the active priesthood because of poor health.

In the midst of his active priesthood, he was diagnosed with cancer and became ill in 1963 and was assisted by Father Cartwright.

Leo T. is one of a handful of active priests in the group who have surreptitious marriages; most who married left the active priesthood.

He resigned from the active priesthood in the early 1980s and focused on charitable work full-time.

But the staff does challenge the idea that these men should be automatically dismissed from the active priesthood or barred from any church posts.

In other cases, it was probably a natural settling down - for example, the priests most likely to leave the active priesthood had already done so.

Another former priest who would like to once again perform the sacraments is Nicholas Ibarra, who left the active priesthood in 1975.

After serving as pastor for various New York churches, he retired from the active priesthood in 1981 for health reasons.

Among Odysseans, this is only awarded with the consent of a council composed of members of the tradition's active priesthood.