Regarding removal from the clerical state as punishment for sexually offending clergy, I have professional experience as a social worker.  

Once it has been agreed that a priest cannot be accepted as such, because of his offending behaviour, removing him from the clerical state leaves his diocese or congregation without any control over his behaviour. Support is offered but cannot be enforced. 

A safer route is to remove his permission to officiate in any circumstances, or to wear clerical dress, with an agreement on where he may live and notification of other dioceses, to avoid his setting up again elsewhere.

It is better to keep control than to release a “wild card” into the community.

Virginia Bird
Leominster, Herefordshire

I too have suffered the penalty imposed on the former Cardinal McCarrick (Jim Neilan’s letter, 16 February). I too am absolutely forbidden to exercise the order into which I was ordained, with the exception of being allowed to absolve those in danger of death when no other minister is available.