Msg Base:  AREA 3  - ASK FATHER (AMDG)
  Msg No: 34.  Sun  8-16-92 10:33  (NO KILL)
    From: Father Mateo
      To: Scott Windsor
 Subject: Excommunication

SW|Dear Father,
 
SW| I have been discussing the teaching of automatic excommunication with
  | a friend of mine.  He claimed that there is no such thing in the
  | Catholic Church, and then stated he asked a priest (whom he did not
  | name) and that priest allegedly agreed with him.  I quoted him from
  | the 1983 Code of Canon Law, specifically C 1314 wherein "ferendae
  | sententiae" and "latae sententiae" are defined.  I then listed a few
  | canons that carried the "latae" sentence, including C 1382 which was
  | applied to Archbishop Lefebvre; and C 1398, which applies to one who
  | actually procurs an abortion.
 
SW| Could you shed some light on this issue?
 
SW|Dominus tecum,
 
SW|Scott
 
 
 
Dear Scott,
 
Here is a list of offenses punished by ipso facto excommunication:
 
   1) apostasy, heresy, or schism (Can. 1364, 1);
   2) violation of the sacred species (Eucharist) (Can. 1367);
   3) physical attack on Pope (Can. 1370, 1);
   4) absolution of an accomplice (Can. 1378, 1);
   5) unauthorized consecration of a bishop (Can. 1382);
   6) direct violation  of seal of confession by a confessor
      (Can. 1388, 1);
   7) procuring of abortion (Can. 1389).
 
Source: Code of Canon Law: Text and Commentary.  Canon Law Society of
America, 1985. p. 932.
 
                                Sincerely in Christ,
 
                                        Father Mateo