Louisiana deacon whose altar boy son was sexually assaulted at the hands of a priest is excommunicated after years of being shunned as he slams the Catholic church for 'punishing those that speak out'

A Louisiana deacon says he has been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic church after suing his diocese and a priest who was jailed for sexually assaulting his son.

Scott Peyton resigned from the diaconate in December 2023 after he learned that the priest he served next to had molested his son. However, he was supposed to, sacramentally, remain a deacon.

But he now claims he has been punished for speaking out against abusers in the church after the Lafayette diocese excommunicated him on March 13 - the harshest punishment a Catholic can receive.