A scenario about Canon Law

[Monica4316]

(I’m making up the part about abortion but I’m just trying to use an example )

Let’s say a person had an abortion, for which there’s an automatic excommunication - so I’ve read. Then they repent, and decide to confess. My understanding is that their Bishop (or a priest, if the Bishop gave the priests in the diocese this authority) - needs to take away this penalty. However, let’s say the person is travelling at the time, or not living at their home diocese temporarily. Can they get the penalty removed in another diocese?

thanks

 

[FrDavid96]

(I’m making up the part about abortion but I’m just trying to use an example )

Let’s say a person had an abortion, for which there’s an automatic excommunication - so I’ve read. Then they repent, and decide to confess. My understanding is that their Bishop (or a priest, if the Bishop gave the priests in the diocese this authority) - needs to take away this penalty. However, let’s say the person is travelling at the time, or not living at their home diocese temporarily. Can they get the penalty removed in another diocese?

thanks

Yes–so long as the priest who is hearing the confession actually has the faculties to absolve from it.

 

[Just_Lurking]

The canon law for this can be found here, in canons 100 to 107.

 

[Monica4316]

Thank you! are there similar canons about how a domicile affects the absolution from excommunications?

 

[Gorgias]

Thank you! are there similar canons about how a domicile affects the absolution from excommunications?

Not explicitly, but I believe that canons 1355 and 1356 speak to what you’re asking about: I presume that you’re talking about an undeclared latae sententiae penalty? Then yes, the ordinary of the place where you are actually present can remit the penalty, even if you’re not a subject of that ordinary. As Fr David mentions, so may a priest to whom this faculty has been delegated.