Can you clarify an earlier AA post regarding excommunication?

[cjkaupke]

I was reading an earlier AA post that mentioned examples of acts that incur excommunication

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=23212&highlight=excommunication

and was puzzled by this line:

“Absolution against an accomplice in a sin against the sixth Commandment (Can. 1378, 977).”

This seemed to be saying that a priest who gives someone absolution for confessing a sin against the sixth commandment would be excommunicated. This seems to imply that sins against the sixth Commandment could never be forgiven. I looked it up in Canon law on the Vatican website, and the wording there suggested more that excommunication is for a priest who tells someone to sin against the sixth commandment, or possibly for a priest who participates with someone in violating this commandment.

Can you please clarify? Thank you.

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

The canon is not referring to *anyone *who commits a sin against the 6th commandment. The key word is “accomplice.” What the canon is essentially saying is that a priest cannot absolve someone with who he had an affair.