Catholic question?

Question

What are the reasons why someone can be excommunicated from Catholicism?

Answer 1

Roman Catholic Church

Excommunication is the most serious ecclesiastical penalty for Roman Catholics. It is a rarely used punishment to discipline unrelenting defiance or other serious violations of church rules especially by those who (according to the Vatican [1]) are accused of "spreading division and confusion among the faithful". Excommunication for church leaders seen as damaging to the public order of the church or who challenge traditional church codes is automatic but rare.

The outward sign of this loss of community involves a prohibition of the person from participating in liturgy in a ministerial capacity, as well as from receiving the Eucharist or the other Sacraments. Certain other rights and privileges normally resulting from membership in the church are revoked, such as holding ecclesiastical office. Excommunication is intended to be a "medicinal" penalty: that is, it is intended to seriously motivate the offender to repent, and therefore is a penalty with a goal of returning the person to full communion after the offensive action has stopped. In the Roman Catholic Church excommunication is usually terminated by a statement of repentance, profession of the Creed (if the offense involved heresy) or a renewal of obedience (if that was a relevant part of the offending act), the lifting of the excommunication itself and then the reception of the sacrament of penance and absolution - in many cases, this whole process takes place within the privacy of the confessional and during the same act of confession.

Answer 2

Excommunication is a severe penalty resulting from grave crimes against the Catholic religion.

It is imposed by church authority or incurred as a direct result of the commission of an offense.

Excommunication excludes the offender from taking part in the Eucharist or other sacraments and from the exercise of any ecclesiastical office, ministry, or function.

In other words, it kicks you out of the Catholic Church. It does not necessarily condemn you to hell.

There are two types of excommunication
+ a jure - by law. The law itself decalres that whosoever shall have been guilty of a definite crime will incur the penalty of excommunication.
+ ab homine - by judgicial act of man. An ecclesiastical prelate issues a serious order under pain of excommunication or imposes excommunication by judicial sentence and after a criminal trial.

A Jure excommunication comes in two type:
+ latæ sententiæ - incurred as soon as the offence is committed and by reason of the offence itself
+ ferendæ sententiæ - inflicted on the culprit only by a judicial sentence

There are a few offenses for which Latin Rite Roman Catholics are automatically excommunicated (the Latin term is Latæ Sententiæ):
+ Apostasy - the formal renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy
+ Heresy
+ Desecration of the Eucharist
+ Physical force against the Pope
+ Attempted sacramental absolution of a partner in adultery
+ Ordination of a bishop without a Papal mandate (e.g. all bishops in the government-run Chinese Patriotic Church)
+ For non-electors present in the conclave, revelation of the details of the conclave
+ Simoniacal provision of the Papal office
+ Violation of the sacramental seal of confession by a priest or bishop
+ Procurement of a completed abortion

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

I believe some reasons include:
A Priest can be excommunicated for ordaining women as priests (this happened not too long ago)
If a priest ordains another priest without papal approval
Not repenting for a grave/mortal sin
Diclaiming the existance of the holy spirit (saying it doesn't exist)
Apostacy and many others.

Answer 4

while i don't have a full asnwer for you.... here is what the catechism defines:
certian particularly grave sins incur excommunication, the most severe ecclessiastical penalty, which impedes the reception of the sacraments and the exercise of certian ecclesiastical acts for which absolution consiquently can not be granted.

basically, there are those sins, that are so severe that they go beyond out human conception. i'll try and find out more.

Answer 5

The Church's criteria for meriting excommunication

The church is patronizing to atheists. They can easily recognize another superstition, but, being unfamiliar with rationality, they have difficulty accepting the decision to renounce all mumbo jumbo. They have, however, officially established these criteria for judging all cases of excommunication: You must ACT. Mere thought is not enough. You should be able to cite memberships in freethought and humanist groups. You should be able to cite actions you have taken, such as, letters written, demonstrations attended, meetings attended, magazine subscriptions, etc. As well as negative actions, like not attending church, not giving them any money, time or thought for years. You must be PERSISTENT. This must take place over a long period of time. If at first you don't succeed...Cite long commitment, and keep trying and keep writing. You must be CONTUMACIOUS. As in: I am firm, you are contumacious, he is pig-headed. Do not waver or indicate any hesitation. It is not necessary to be impolite, but do not be unclear in your condemnation of Catholicism in order to avoid offence. You must be AWARE that this involves excommunication. For them, ignorance of canon law is an excuse. State in your letter that you are aware of this, that you know what the consequences are and that this is what you wish to happen. You have to BE A ROMAN CATHOLIC. Obviously. In your letter, make them aware of this by telling them the parish where you were baptised and the date. Many people, hoping for some kind of heresy cachet, have inquired about getting excommunciated, even though they are not currently memebers of a church. No, you can't.

THEY HAVE A DUTY to other Roman Catholics

Your mental state is something that no one knows except you. You are the only expert on your own non-religious status. They have a duty to inform other Roman Catholics about this change in you so that they do not mishandle their dealings with you. In terms of marriage, communion, death and so on, you should be treated as a non-Catholic. If they fail to do this, they are not dealing fairly with the Catholics in their charge. So far, most cases have gone smoothly. Using the citations in this article seems to impress them with the idea that you are serious, you know what you are talking about, and that this is not a "spur or the moment" whim. If, however, you meet resistance, there is some heavier ammunition below. Fill out the handy form below and send it in to your local priest. This may only get things started. Be prepared to continue for a long time. Remember: each person who does this makes it easier for the next person.




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I am an atheist.

I hereby renounce all the trappings of religion.

I renounce all blessings, benefits, graces, sanctifications, and advantages supposedly conferred on me by any religion or by any religious act done by me or on my behalf in the past, present or future.

I condemn as monstrous the idea of original sin, and renounce any baptism done on my behalf to wash it away.

I reject as ridiculous the idea of an atoning sacrifice and spurn its presumed benefits.

I do not believe that any god, supernatural realm or afterlife exists, and will not act as if they did.

I do not believe that any book, building, place, person, thing or action is holy and will not pretend that they are.

I do not think that praying is anything more than talking to oneself and will not make believe that it is.

I do not believe that any person is more sanctified than any other, or that any human being should be elevated above another in any way, due to ancestry, race, gender, occupation, belief or for any other reason and will not feign that I do.

As a principled and rational person, it pains me that someone, somewhere may be counting me as an adherent of an irrational superstition which has done and is doing irreparable harm to humanity and with which I profoundly disagree. Please remove my name from the records of the church, and record that I am no longer a Roman Catholic. Please send me confirmation of this action. Please do this as soon as possible.


Signature___________________________

Answer 6

is this about history or present situation?

because in the past, it was practiced..

based on this site:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05678a.htm

Catholics, on the contrary, cannot be excommunicated unless for some personal, grievously offensive act..

Answer 7

Heresy, or supporting or propogating it. Turning from the Chruch to another religion, that sort of thing.

Divorce doesn't lead necessarily to ex-communication. Nor does venial sin. Mortal sin may.

Answer 8

POPE BENEDICT SAYS THAT WE CANNOT KNOW IF WHAT JESUS SAID IS TRUE. Principles of Catholic Theology (1982), p. 359.

POPE BENEDICT SAYS KRISHNA IS A SYMBOL OF CHRIST.
Principles of Catholic Theology (1982), p. 326

Answer 9

They say or do things that anger the church
(That happens alot!)

Answer 10

Blow up the pope