Heresy & Material Cooperation/Excommunication

[Podo2005]

Can. 1364 §1. Without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 194, §1, n. 2, an apostate from the faith, a heretic, or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication; in addition, a cleric can be punished with the penalties mentioned in ⇒ can. 1336, §1, nn. 1, 2, and 3.

With regards to these sins against faith , is it only when one personally is guilty of apostasy, heresy or schism that they are excommunicated? or can one be excommunicated through cooperating with another person’s sin of apostasy, heresy, schism either by formally cooperating or material cooperating (ex: printing copying heretical material that will be distributed)

In Christ
Zac

 

[Grace2013]

Can. 1364 §1. Without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 194, §1, n. 2, an apostate from the faith, a heretic, or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication; in addition, a cleric can be punished with the penalties mentioned in ⇒ can. 1336, §1, nn. 1, 2, and 3.

With regards to these sins against faith , is it only when one personally is guilty of apostasy, heresy or schism that they are excommunicated? or can one be excommunicated through cooperating with another person’s sin of apostasy, heresy, schism either by formally cooperating or material cooperating (ex: printing copying heretical material that will be distributed)

In Christ
Zac

Good question. I haven’t an answer to that

I know that if someone aides/abets another in an excommunicable act/mortal sin (like abortion) they are as guilty as the person that knowingly procured the procedure and could be subject to the same punishment (excommunication). Of course, I could be entirely wrong.

That’s the best I could come up with. lol

 

[dans0622]

…
With regards to these sins against faith , is it only when one personally is guilty of apostasy, heresy or schism that they are excommunicated? or can one be excommunicated through cooperating with another person’s sin of apostasy, heresy, schism either by formally cooperating or material cooperating (ex: printing copying heretical material that will be distributed)…

Hello,

For a person to be guilty of the crime of heresy, apostasy, or schism, he has to manifest his erroneous views (see canon 1330). So, even before this heretic/apostate/schismatic gets the material printed with the other person’s assistance, he has already manifested his error. The cooperator, then, is not a “necessary” cooperator and so he would not be liable to the same automatic excommunication (see canon 1329.2).

Certainly, if the cooperator agrees with the heretic/etc., and makes the agreement known, he’s also liable to the excommunication. Before that, he could also be liable to the indeterminate penalty established in canon 1369 (which regards publishing harmful materials).

If that’s not clear, my answer is “no.”

Dan