Excommunication

[Bob_Schiffer]

Is there any ‘minimum age’ for a person in order for him to be excommunicated or for his actions to incur an excommunication? I think I remember reading about minors being exempted from excommunication somewhere.

Thanks.

 

[JerryZ]

I think that at minimum “use of reason” would be required, remember that is also a requirement for the Sacrament of “first Communion”.

Since “Excomunication” mean “Forbidden from receiving Communion” and one could commit a grave enough act only after that event. Then that would be it.

 

[thistle]

I’m not sure if the following canon laws apply to penalties other than or including excommunication.

Can. 1323 No one is liable to a penalty who, when violating a law or precept:

1° has not completed the sixteenth year of age;

2° was, without fault, ignorant of violating the law or precept; inadvertence and error are equivalent to ignorance

3° acted under physical force, or under the impetus of a chanceoccurrence which the person could not foresee or if foreseen could not avoid;

4° acted under the compulsion of grave fear, even if only relative, or by reason of necessity or grave inconvenience, unless, however, the act is intrinsically evil or tends to be harmful to souls;

5° acted, within the limits of due moderation, in lawful self-defence or defence of another against an unjust aggressor;

6° lacked the use of reason, without prejudice to the provisions of cann. 1324, §1, n. 2 and 1325;

7° thought, through no personal fault, that some one of the circumstances existed which are mentioned in nn. 4 or 5.

 

[Bob_Schiffer]

I think that at minimum “use of reason” would be required, remember that is also a requirement for the Sacrament of “first Communion”.

Since “Excomunication” mean “Forbidden from receiving Communion” and one could commit a grave enough act only after that event. Then that would be it.

Wait so, as long as an individual hasn’t received Holy Communion, then the individual is technically immune to excommunication?

 

[Bob_Schiffer]

I’m not sure if the following canon laws apply to penalties other than or including excommunication.

Can. 1323 No one is liable to a penalty who, when violating a law or precept:

1° has not completed the sixteenth year of age;

2° was, without fault, ignorant of violating the law or precept; inadvertence and error are equivalent to ignorance

3° acted under physical force, or under the impetus of a chanceoccurrence which the person could not foresee or if foreseen could not avoid;

4° acted under the compulsion of grave fear, even if only relative, or by reason of necessity or grave inconvenience, unless, however, the act is intrinsically evil or tends to be harmful to souls;

5° acted, within the limits of due moderation, in lawful self-defence or defence of another against an unjust aggressor;

6° lacked the use of reason, without prejudice to the provisions of cann. 1324, §1, n. 2 and 1325;

7° thought, through no personal fault, that some one of the circumstances existed which are mentioned in nn. 4 or 5.

Ohhh… I see… I did some research on Canon 1324 and found out that the penalties will not be automatically removed completely except in the case of a latae sententiae excommunication.

But… what about a ferendae sententiae excommunication? Would a bishop be able to pronounce an excommunication a person under 16 years of age?

 

[Miriam1947]

Is there any ‘minimum age’ for a person in order for him to be excommunicated or for his actions to incur an excommunication? I think I remember reading about minors being exempted from excommunication somewhere.

Thanks.

I believe it is the age of 16. See Ask an Apologist section, they just had that question.

 

[Bob_Schiffer]

I believe it is the age of 16. See Ask an Apologist section, they just had that question.

I was actually the one who asked that question haha. Thanks though.