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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Automatic Excommunication...	Matthew	Saturday, January 12, 2008
Question: Brother, Before i began to take my faith seriously a few years ago. For many years i only attended Mass on Christmas and Easter. I'm worried that maybe i didn't attend at all one year and just can't remember. I confessed all of this a few months ago. There wasn't any danger of automatic excommunication or anything was there?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Matthew: No, you did not risk automatic excommunication. If I can remember them all, there are about nine sins that incur automatic excommunication (six that laity can commit and three that only priests can commit). They are... 1) procured completed abortion 2) heresy 3) schism 4) apostasy 5) desecration/sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament 6) physical attack upon the Pope 7) a priest who violates the confessional seal 8) a priest who gives absolution to his accomplice in adultery/fornication 9) a bishop who consecrates a new bishop without the Pope's permission Even if you did do something to incur an automatic excommunication you may be reconciled with the Church upon absolution in the Sacrament of Confession as prescribed by canon law. In terms of your not attending Mass at all one year, or only on Holidays, you need to confess this in the Sacrament of Confession at your local parish. If you don't remember exactly how many Masses you missed, you just mention what you can. Whatever you do not remember is still forgiven. Once the priest gives you absolution, you are free of those sins -- they no longer exist. Thus, there is no need to be worried about them any longer. God bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Automatic Excommunication...

Matthew

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Question:

Brother,

Before i began to take my faith seriously a few years ago. For many years i only attended Mass on Christmas and Easter. I'm worried that maybe i didn't attend at all one year and just can't remember. I confessed all of this a few months ago. There wasn't any danger of automatic excommunication or anything was there?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Matthew:

No, you did not risk automatic excommunication.

If I can remember them all, there are about nine sins that incur automatic excommunication (six that laity can commit and three that only priests can commit). They are...

1) procured completed abortion
2) heresy
3) schism
4) apostasy
5) desecration/sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament
6) physical attack upon the Pope

7) a priest who violates the confessional seal
8) a priest who gives absolution to his accomplice in adultery/fornication
9) a bishop who consecrates a new bishop without the Pope's permission

Even if you did do something to incur an automatic excommunication you may be reconciled with the Church upon absolution in the Sacrament of Confession as prescribed by canon law.

In terms of your not attending Mass at all one year, or only on Holidays, you need to confess this in the Sacrament of Confession at your local parish. If you don't remember exactly how many Masses you missed, you just mention what you can. Whatever you do not remember is still forgiven.

Once the priest gives you absolution, you are free of those sins -- they no longer exist. Thus, there is no need to be worried about them any longer.

God bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum