Atheists to the rescue!

http://atheism.about.com/od/ideasforatheistactivism/a/Excommunication.htm

And Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excommunication#Roman_Catholic_Church

And no, it's not permanent. There are several ways listed that it can be lifted, but all require a return to being a good RC.

Mendalla

Hi seeler,

Excommunication is the ultimate disciplinary tool of the Roman Catholic Church.  The seriousness of the breech is often in the eye of the official doing the excommunicating.  Rome does not need to approve of excommunication unless the individual facing it ranks high enough in the Church to warrant Rome's involvement.

For example a Priest can decide if a parishioner should be excommunicated.  Only a Bishop, or higher can excommunicate a priest.  Only a Cardinal can excommunicate a Bishop, The College of Cardinals and the Pope can excommunicate a Cardinal or a Pope.

Excommunication, normally involves prohibiting Roman Catholics from participating in the Eucharist, they are still expected to attend Mass.  Participation in the sacrament of confession (a Roman Catholic sacrament) typically resolves the excommunication.  Excommunication, for clergy, prohibits them from participating in the Eucharist or presiding over any liturgy.  Excommunication is typically resolved following participation in the sacrament of Confession and a public demonstration of repentance.

The Pope doesn't need to.  There are other offices in the Church which are much more immediate.

It isn't very rare and it depends upon the priest.

That is not the case.  Excommunication ends when the one who has been excommunicated confesses their sin and repents of it, usually the confession is made to the Priest who did the excommunicating.

The phrase, once Roman Catholic always Roman Catholic might be what you are thinking of.  

Just little bits here and there.

Grace and peace to you.

John

I think the point, typically, is to get yourself excommunicated so you are removed from the list members of the Catholic Church. For some, it may be an act of protest. For others, a final tie to a backward institution severed.

For whatever reason, it's a act that I support, because the Catholic Church deserves to lose members, money, and influence.

From the article I posted:

While I don't understand what is so hard about desecrating a cracker (put one in a condom?), apostasy is probably the best route to take. As the instructions say, make sure you communicate that you knew what you were doing by becoming an apostate, and preferably, take someone with you. They hate that.

Happy excommunication! Don't forget to order a cake and plan a party when it becomes official!

Thanks everyone.  I obviously have a lot to learn about excommunication.

I think it is a very cruel judgment, especially for someone who still valued and wanted to be a part of the church they had grown up in and loved all their life. Imagine attending a worship service in which communion was a central part and being forbidden to take part.

I hope it doesn't happen in the UCC. In my congregation we have an open table, not our table but the Lord's table. The invitation is open to all. I have never heard of anyone in my congregation being refused communion.

[quote=chansen]Atheists to the rescue! http://atheism.about.com/od/ideasforatheistactivism/a/Excommunication.htm[/quote] I was baptised in the Roman Catholic Church. I know consider myself to be an agnostic-atheist but I don't think it is worth my time to have myself excommunicated. I thought I was no longer a member of the RCC when I joined the UCCan.

Well, i will speak to the person being excommunicated for attending his Protestant friend's wedding - as that was my dad's story. I think there are a few notes to be made...

while my father was a bit of a story-teller, he told us of this event in his life with earnest, and i for one believe that it actually happened as he said.

my dad was always a bit of a free-spirited trouble-maker, especially as a youth and young man, and perhaps this was just the proverbial straw that broke the camel"s back.

it took place back in the 1940s. Perhaps the Rc church no lonhger excommunicates for such trifle reasons.

Things  have changed over time. No longer are people excommunicated in Canada for attemding non Catholic religious serices. (which was the sin of your father, since the wedding was performed by a minister.) Also today Catholics hold different views on what is allowed and not. Some priests reject the idea of excommunication outright. A good example is a Kenndy, who represented Rhode Island in Congress. His local Bishop considered him excommunicated for his support of abortion rights. Yet there were many Priests who were willing and able to with the support of their Bishop  to include him. In palces like New York Washington DC, Boston. In fact his view on abortion rights were not much different than many bishops. and other Priests.

I think it's safe to say the RCC considers you a member.

At my baptist church all believers in Christ are invited to share in the Table. We are encouraged to examine ourselves first to make sure we're spiritually prepared. That is to say, not in a fight with any other Christian.

It's okay to be in a fight with a non-Christian?

So ... you could be in a fight with non-Christian people and that would be considered being "spiritually prepared" for communion? 

The concern is with the unionn of the spiritual family - are you united in fellowsghip with all of youe 8hristian brothers and sistets.

I know of one very prominent and active Roman Catholic who was excommunicated for being in a relationship with a divorced Protestant.  They were cohabitating before their marriage, tongues wagged and the Priest made the call (I believe there was pressure to do so).  The Priest had all the authroity to excommunicate and the only way the person could be recommunicated would be to do penance after stopping the offending behavior.  Needless to say this person had a major rift with his church and I married them in the United Church.  So while the sanctity of the sacrament was well protected, pastorally it was a disaster when several months later the man died suddenly and the Roman Catholic Church had the funeral.  I felt terribly sorry for his widow but fortunately she got good care from the local United Church minister.

I know you can lose your job in the Catholic School System if you are living with someone  especially if they are not Catholic and child is involved.My son's friends had a wedding by Justice of the Peace in their house and then had a wedding in the church with priest etc. so that she could continue teaching.My son was best man.