Pro-abortion, procurring in an abortion or condoning the use of abortion is I believe, automatic excommunication.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
**2272 **Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication
latae sententiae,"76 "by the very commission of the offense,"77 and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law.78 The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.
**2273 **The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a
constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation:
"The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his origin. Among such fundamental rights one should mention in this regard every human being’s right to life and physical integrity from the moment of conception until death."79
"The moment a positive law deprives a category of human beings of the protection which civil legislation ought to accord them, the state is denying the equality of all before the law. When the state does not place its power at the service of the rights of each citizen, and in particular of the more vulnerable, the very foundations of a state based on law are undermined. . . . As a consequence of the respect and protection which must be ensured for the unborn child from the moment of conception, the law must provide appropriate penal sanctions for every deliberate violation of the child’s rights."80
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76 CIC, can. 1398.
77 CIC, can. 1314.
78 Cf. CIC, cann. 1323-1324.
79 CDF, Donum vitae III.
80 CDF, Donum vitae III.](
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The type of excommunication referred to here does not require positive action of a bishop. While normally only bishops can lift excommunications, I believe most bishops permit their priests to do this when a person is truly repentant. Can someone help clear that up for me please?
It seems to me that this is fairly clear. I am unaware (that does not mean it does not exist, however) of any other sin in which the lay person can commit that results is automatic excommunication.
It is important that in paragraph 2272 that the second part not be separated from the first. The Church is trying to be merciful. In their mercy, they are trying to convey the gravity of the offense of abortion.
Paragraph 2273 is often not quoted in the Abortion debates. I believe it is important to include here because it further reinforces the Church’s stance on the sacredness of life.
