How do we lift latae sententiae excommunication?

[Reverted]

My girfriend and I, both cradle Catholics, were living a culture-of-death Manhattan lifestyle when we got pregnant. We aborted. We were then overcome with horror and shame at our crime. We confessed at a church on the West Side. The priest gave us each absolution, then invited us to stay for Mass. He communed us both with his own hands not 30 minutes after hearing our confession of the crime of aborting our child. Since then, we’ve reverted, practiced the faith, married in the Church, and had children. We are working to be good Catholic parents and raise our children as faithful Catholics.

However, I just came across a description of latae sententiae excommunication, including a statement that it can only be removed by a bishop. I’m almost out of my mind with anxiety! Are we still excommunicated? Have every time we’ve gone to Communion been a blasphemy? Is our marriage even valid? I’ve always believed we made things right with the Lord (as right as we could). The priest’s actions always made me believe so. Help!!!

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear Reverted,

You can relax. In this country priests have been given the faculties to automatically remove the excommunication when they give absolution. You are not excommunicated. Your marriage is valid, etc, etc.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.