Dear Mary:

I looked it up and there are nine sins that incur an automatic excommunication, not eleven. I corrected that on the other post.

The Nine Sins incurring Automatic Excommunication (called latae sententiae) include six that can be committed by the laity or clergy, two that can be committed by priests or bishops, and one committed by a bishop. "CIC" refers to sections of Canon Law. They are:

1) procured completed abortion (CIC 1398 and 1329.2)
2) heresy (CIC 1364.1)
3) schism (CIC 1364.1)
4) apostasy (CIC 1364.1)
5) desecration/sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament (CIC 1367)
6) physical attack upon the Pope (CIC 1370.1)

7) a priest who violates the confessional seal (CIC 1388.1)
8) a priest who gives absolution to his accomplice in adultery/fornication (CIC 1378)

9) a bishop who consecrates a new bishop without the Pope's permission (CIC 1382)

1. Procured Completed Abortion
   CIC 1398
   A person who actually procures an abortion incurs a latae sententiae excommunication.
   
   Obviously only laity can comment this crime (a woman), but her accomplices (Lay or Clergy) also commit a crime and suffer the same penalty:
   
   CIC 1329.2
   In the case of a latae sententiae penalty attached to an offence, accomplices, even though not mentioned in the law or precept, incur the same penalty if, without their assistance, the crime would not have been committed, and if the penalty is of such a nature as to be able to affect them; otherwise, they can be punished with ferendae sententiae penalties.
   
   Heresy, Schism, and Apostasy
   CIC 1364.1
   An apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication, without prejudice to the provision of Can. 194 ß1, n. 2; a cleric, moreover, may be punished with the penalties mentioned in Can. 1336 ß1, nn. 1, 2 and 3.
   
   The definitions of these three crimes are in CIC 751:
2. Heresy is the obstinate denial or obstinate doubt after the reception of baptism of some truth which is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith
3. Apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith;
   
4. Schism is the refusal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.
   
   
5. Desecration/Sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament
   CIC 1357
   One who throws away the consecrated species or, for a sacrilegious purpose, takes them away or keeps them, incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; a cleric, moreover, may be punished with some other penalty, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state.
   
   
6. Physical Attack upon the Pope
   CIC 1370.1
   A person who uses physical force against the Roman Pontiff incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; if the offender is a cleric, another penalty, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state, may be added according to the gravity of the crime.
   
   
7. A Priest who Violates the Confessional Seal
   CIC 1388.1
   A confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal, incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; he who does so only indirectly is to be punished according to the gravity of the offence.
   
   
8. A Priest who gives Absolution to his Accomplice in Adultery/Fornication
   CIC 1378
   A priest who acts against the prescription of Can. 977 incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.
   
   Can. 977 is: "The absolution of a partner in a sin against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue is invalid, except in danger of death."
   
   
9. A Bishop who Consecrates a new Bishop without the Pope's Permission
   CIC 1382
   Both the Bishop who, without a pontifical mandate, consecrates a person a Bishop, and the one who receives the consecration from him, incur a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.

Canon Law prescribes various penalties, including imposed excommunication, for other crimes, but the above are considered the most egregious to warrant an automatic excommunication.

God bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary