Full Breakdown
Louisiana Deacon Scott Peyton Excommunicated by Vatican Discipline Office
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Excommunication Decision
The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) upheld the excommunication of Scott Peyton, a former deacon of the Diocese of Lafayette, after he briefly joined an Anglican congregation and announced the move on social media. The decree was signed by the DDF prefect, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, and its secretary, Archbishop John Joseph Kenney, and presented to Peyton on a Friday in October 2024. The DDF formally rejected Peyton’s appeal on May 22, more than two years after he filed it in May 2024.
Background of Abuse and Settlement
Peyton was ordained a deacon in 2012 and served in the Lafayette diocese. In 2018, priest Michael Guidry confessed to molesting Peyton’s teenage son, Oliver, while they ministered together at St. Peter’s Church in Morrow, Louisiana. Guidry pleaded guilty and received a seven-year prison sentence. In 2021, Peyton, his wife Letitia, and Oliver secured a $350,000 out-of-court settlement from the Lafayette diocese and became vocal advocates for clergy-survivor rights. Dissatisfied with the diocese’s response, Peyton resigned in December 2023 and temporarily joined an Anglican congregation, a step he disclosed publicly.
Church’s Rationale and Official Response
The DDF’s documents emphasized that Peyton’s act of joining another denomination constituted a deliberate separation from the Catholic Church, justifying excommunication under canon law. Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel, who met with Peyton in October 2024, had previously issued a decree declaring the excommunication effective immediately. The diocese has not filed for bankruptcy, unlike more than 40 U.S. Catholic entities facing abuse-related litigation.
Reactions from Peyton and Legal Representation
Peyton described the decision as “deeply troubling,” arguing that the excommunication harms the spiritual lives of his wife, six children, and his son—eight Catholics in total. Goldstein announced that Peyton intends to appeal the DDF’s verdict.
Verbatim Quotes
- “While I am disappointed, I am not surprised,” — Scott Peyton
- “Although my client absolutely rejects the DDF’s decision … he notes that the DDF shows far more sensitivity to the harms that his family has suffered than Bishop Deshotel ever has,” — Dawn Eden Goldstein, canon attorney