Father Dean McFalls has officially stepped down from his position as pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Stockton after revealing he has fathered a child. But he remains a priest, according to Sister Terry Davis, communications director of the Diocese of Stockton.He will remain a priest “until the end of a laicization process, but may not function as one,” she said.Laicization, Davis explained, is the “process to withdraw from the clerical state.” The process could be initiated by McFalls, “but to my knowledge, he has not done so.”She added, “There is no definite end point” to the leave of absence that was granted to him by the bishop.However, given the circumstances behind his resignation, “Dean McFalls may no longer function or present himself as a priest,” Davis said.Celibacy is required of all Catholic priests, and should not be married.During the two telephone interviews with the former pastor at Lathrop’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Church Tuesday evening, he said that he will “always be a priest,” but that “I, myself, personally have voluntarily relinquished” his active priestly ministry.“A child will soon be born, and I am the baby’s father,” McFalls confessed in his statement that was read to St. Mary’s parishioners.