Does the Roman Catholic Church still excommunicate people?

Question

What do you have to do that warrants excommunication?

Answer 1

Kind of.

Most excomminicated people have excommunicated themselves.

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.

Excommunication does not mean a loss of salvation. However, the crime committed that was penalized by it might be a mortal sin.

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

Remember the purpose of excommunication is the correction and redemption of the person who has chosen to separate himself or herself from the Church.

For more information, see: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05678a.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

I'm sure it still does, although not as actively, or outwardly, as it did some centuries ago. Or even as recent as sixty years ago by the Ustashi and Fransiscan monks in Serbia, I found out only the other day.

GOING AGAINST what the RC Church teaches will pretty much do you in, i.e., will get you excommunicated. But you'll have to ask a priest to get more precise answers though.

And, of course, you are aware that priests themselves seem to be UNAFFECTED from being excommunicated. Witness the recent settlements on several pedophile cases...

However, the door swings both ways, too. ANYONE can also CHOOSE to excommunicate the Church by simply walking out the front door. Right? I know I did.

Peace be with you.

Answer 3

Yes, we still do. The sin must be a grave offense like aborting a fetus.

"1463 Certain particularly grave sins incur excommunication, the most severe ecclesiastical penalty, which impedes the reception of the sacraments and the exercise of certain ecclesiastical acts, and for which absolution consequently cannot be granted, according to canon law, except by the Pope, the bishop of the place or priests authorized by them. In danger of death any priest, even if deprived of faculties for hearing confessions, can absolve from every sin and excommunication."

Answer 4

Yes. It recently excommunicated five preists in Africa who got married as priests and refused to give up the wives. There's also a whole host of things you're considered automatically excommunicated for.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excommunication

Answer 5

I don't know about excommunication, but my future mother in law is forbidden by the priest to sit within the first five pews during mass. He told her that because she stares at him during church, he believes she is possessed by demons.

Sadly, this is a true story. I'm honestly not making this up. It's too crazy to be made up.

Answer 6

Committing certain sins, such as having or procuring an abortion for example, incurs automatic excommunication.

Answer 7

You would have to screw up MAJORLY for that to happen now.