Does taking a pro abortion stance result in automatic excommunication?

[DMITRIYL]

Hello,
I have a friend who claims that they are Catholic but also claims to be pro choice. I was wondering if they are still to be considered part of the Church, or are they to be considered heretics. I know that this is a widespread problem and I don’t see the Church doing anything about it so what is the policy regarding this? I know that denial of any teaching of the Church is heresy, but why are these people still permitted to receive the Eucharist or participate in other Sacraments?

 

[MonikaBarbara]

Supporting abortion is a mortal sin, so they should technically not be approaching the Eucharist.

I am not sure about formal excommunication, but if you die without repenting of mortal sin, you go to hell…so it’s not a wonderful position to be in in any case.

 

[Zoltan_Cobalt]

From the Catechism:

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,"77 "by the very commission of the offense,"78 and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law.79 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.

“Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense”… can be taken to mean anyone over the age of reason who assists (Formal cooperation) with an abortion can be excommunicated latae sententiae.

Very serious stuff…

 

[Johann_du_Toit]

From the Catechism:

“Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense”… can be taken to mean anyone over the age of reason who assists (Formal cooperation) with an abortion can be excommunicated latae sententiae.

Very serious stuff…

Correct. The people whose direct involvement makes the abortion possible (the woman who has the abortion, the doctor who performs it, the boyfriend who encourages it and pays for it) incur an automatic excommunication. Those who are indirectly involved (such as the cab driver who transports the woman to the abortion clinic without knowing what she intends to do) do not incur an excommunication.

A politician who votes for laws that allow abortion does not, in terms of canon law, incur an automatic excommunication for procuring an abortion, because there would have to be proven a direct link to his/her vote and a particular abortion taking place. (Some canon lawyers argue pro-abortion politicians incur an automatic excommunication for heresy for denying a basic truth of the Catholic faith by supporting abortion, but that’s the subject of a different thread).

Catholic politicians who vote for laws allowing abortion are however not worthy to receive communion because their actions constitute a mortal sin and places their souls in jeopardy.

It is never permissible to vote for a political candidate who is permissive on abortion and/or euthanasia, if the vote is specifically because of the candidate’s positions on those issues. Voting for such a candidate for other reasons is considered remote material cooperation, and can be justified in certain circumstances . The Church has however not specifically defined what those circumstances are, likely they have bearing to countries were there is a lack of viable pro-life candidates or political parties.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Hello,
I have a friend who claims that they are Catholic but also claims to be pro choice. I was wondering if they are still to be considered part of the Church, or are they to be considered heretics.

A lot of Catholics are poorly catechized or behave as if Catholic teaching is a buffet, so it’s hard to say which ones are truly ignorant and which are just defiant.

Here are 2 pertinent paragraphs from canon law.

Can. 1364 An apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication.“Latae sententiae” literally means “automatic.” An apostate, heretic, or schismatic is automatically excommunicated from the Church without the need for some formal declaration. So what is an apostate, heretic, or schismatic?*Can. 751 Heresy is the obstinate denial or doubt, after baptism, of a truth which must be believed by divine and catholic faith. Apostasy is the total repudiation of the christian faith. Schism is the withdrawal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or from communion with the members of the Church subject to him.
*Such an excommunication is “automatic” in the same sense committing a sin is automatic. No one has to formally affirm that someone sinned. But anyway, there are probably a lot of people who have excommunicated themselves.

 

[fred_conty]

A lot of Catholics are poorly catechized or behave as if Catholic teaching is a buffet, so it’s hard to say which ones are truly ignorant and which are just defiant.

Here are 2 pertinent paragraphs from canon law.

Can. 1364 An apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication.“Latae sententiae” literally means “automatic.” An apostate, heretic, or schismatic is automatically excommunicated from the Church without the need for some formal declaration. So what is an apostate, heretic, or schismatic?*Can. 751 Heresy is the obstinate denial or doubt, after baptism, of a truth which must be believed by divine and catholic faith. Apostasy is the total repudiation of the christian faith. Schism is the withdrawal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or from communion with the members of the Church subject to him.
*Such an excommunication is “automatic” in the same sense committing a sin is automatic. No one has to formally affirm that someone sinned. But anyway, there are probably a lot of people who have excommunicated themselves.

But to incur this type of excommunication, I believe canon law requires that a person must first understand that there is a penalty connected to the act, and that in absence of this knowledge, they do not incur excommunication, tho they do incur serious sin.

 

[MarcoPolo]

But to incur this type of excommunication, I believe canon law requires that a person must first understand that there is a penalty connected to the act, and that in absence of this knowledge, they do not incur excommunication, tho they do incur serious sin.

Yeah, I kind of tried to qualify that in my first sentence.

 

[Petaro]

I would not be that overly concerned about excommunication. Rather, I would be concerned about discerning the truth. You should pray for your friend that they may come to a realisation of the evil of abortion and stand against it in every facet of their lives.

To miss such a chance to stand with Christ so as to be able to attest to your faith is a tragedy. To have such an opportunity to espouse life in a society seduced by death is a gift we should all take with both hands praising God in allowing us to be His Church Militant in a world where evil is lauded and the good condemned.