Excommunication! | An interview with canon lawyer Dr. Edward Peters | by Carl E. Olson | November 7, 2006
Dr. Edward Peters has doctoral degrees in canon and civil law,
and operates the Canon Law Info website and the "In The
Light of the Law" web log. He has
authored or edited several books, including Annulments and the Catholic Church
(Ascension Press), and is the translator of the English edition
of The 1917 Pio Benedictine Code of Canon Law, published by Ignatius Press. His most recent book is
Excommunication and the Catholic Church,
published by Ascension Press. IgnatiusInsight.com editor Carl E. Olson, who had the pleasure of studying
canon law under Dr. Peters, recently interviewed the canon lawyer about
excommunication and his new book.
IgnatiusInsight.com: Do you have a simple definiation of "excommunication"?
Peters: Yes. Excommunication is the most serious censure the
Catholic Church imposes on her members. Excommunication has roots deep in
ecclesiastical history, and it is still applied, in fact increasingly applied,
today. But it's more than a penalty for past actions; it's really an urgent
call to reform one's conduct in the future. Excommunication is classified as a
"medicinal penalty" by the Church precisely because its main purpose is to
bring about reform in the individual. Having certain actions punished by
excommunication demonstrates that certain actions are gravely wrong in
themselves and cause deep harm both to their perpetrators and to others.
Continue reading...
Dear Fr. Peter,
You did everything but answer the question. What is a brief definition of excommunication?
Fr. Bill Lynn
Posted by: Fr. Bill Lynn | Tuesday, November 07, 2006 at 12:18 PM
IgnatiusInsight.com: Do you have a simple definiation of "excommunication"?
Peters: Yes. Excommunication is the most serious censure the Catholic Church imposes on her members. Excommunication has roots deep in ecclesiastical history, and it is still applied, in fact increasingly applied, today. But it's more than a penalty for past actions; it's really an urgent call to reform one's conduct in the future. Excommunication is classified as a "medicinal penalty" by the Church precisely because its main purpose is to bring about reform in the individual. Having certain actions punished by excommunication demonstrates that certain actions are gravely wrong in themselves and cause deep harm both to their perpetrators and to others.
Posted by: Brian John Schuettler | Tuesday, November 07, 2006 at 01:21 PM
Ah, but what if a politician had herself had, performed, or facilitated an actual abortion? Some certainly have.
Posted by: Sandra Miesel | Tuesday, November 07, 2006 at 01:47 PM
"Father" Peter? I'm being demoted. As a canonist, I often get mail addressed to "Monsignor" Peters, occasionally even to "Bishop" Peters, but just "Father"? I'm miffed.
Sandra, right, in which case, though, they are liable to sanction for the abortion, not for their political activity. Of course.
Posted by: Ed Peters | Tuesday, November 07, 2006 at 03:12 PM
Wow, Fr. Bill, never has one man squeezed so many basic errors into a post so small so well. =)
Posted by: AmericanPapist | Wednesday, November 08, 2006 at 06:21 PM
Fr. Bill:
If a priest publicly preaches in favor of women's ordination (long after Ordinatio Sac) during a homily, is there any canonical measure that one may take? Whom ought one to contact if anyone (other than prayer)?
Thanks,
Chris
Posted by: Christopher Malloy | Thursday, November 09, 2006 at 10:47 AM
"You are Peters, and upon this rock I will build my interpretation of canon law..." :-)
Posted by: Carl Olson | Thursday, November 09, 2006 at 11:05 AM
I have to admit, that's pretty funny, Carl.
Posted by: Ed Peters | Thursday, November 09, 2006 at 01:33 PM
You said: "There are ways to cancel one's Church membership, but excommunication isn't one of them"
Out of curiosity, what are the ways by which one would go about canceling their Church membership?
Posted by: anon | Friday, November 10, 2006 at 08:52 AM
The "formal act of defection".
Posted by: Ed Peters | Friday, November 10, 2006 at 02:50 PM
Presumbably you are defecting to the Enemy.
Posted by: Brian John Schuettler | Thursday, November 16, 2006 at 10:24 AM