Father
We sometimes hear about a person being excommunicated from the Catholic Church, but who actually determines that? The local priest, the bishop of the diocese, or is it a papal decision?
Thanks,
Terri
Terri
In order to grasp what excommunication is one must first appreciate how the Catholic Church understands herself. While She recognizes that Christ may be operative in the faith of non-Catholic persons and organizations the Catholic Church believes herself to be the Church established by Christ. As such She is the means of salvation, the dispenser of God's grace and the salvific merits of Christ. Therefore, if one severely ruptures their relationship with that Faith and the Church (which is integral to the Faith) which is given to us by Christ the Church has the right and the obligation to take measures, not for the sake of punishment but as a corrective measure to alert the person of the gravity of their offense and the need to repent.
The excommunicated person, while still a member of the Church is, impeded from the reception of the sacraments and certain ecclesiastical acts. However, the person still remains subject to Church laws. excommunication is the most severe ecclesiastical penalty and thus should not be imposed lightly or taken lightly. Some excommunications occur automatically by the law itself by virtue of committing a specific act, latae sententiae. This is the case with abortion. In other cases the severity and extent of excommunication is increased by the official declaration of a latae sententiae excommunication or the imposition of an excommunication, ferendae sententiae. In the later case this is done when in the judgement of the bishop the person has persisted in certain beliefs and or actions which severely contradict and or harm the unity of the Faith. Excommunication is imposed by the bishop, which includes the Pope as a bishop and the Supreme Legislator. Removal of excommunication is done by the Pope, the bishop of the place or priests authorized by them.
Fr. Pisut
