interdict

[didymus]

Yesterday I watched the movie The Field with Richard Harris (excellent, btw).
It is set in Ireland after their Civil War and the Harris character commits a murder. The whole village knows he did it. The parish priest accuses his congregation of being complicit in the murder by their silence* and announces that no Masses will be said, no Confessions heard, &c. until the murderer is brought to justice.

Qy: I know this would never happen today but did a parish priest ever have the right to impose an interdict (correct term?) or mass excommunication on his flock?

*Actually, everyone “knew” but only one person was an actual witness.

 

[Titus]

Yesterday I watched the movie The Field with Richard Harris (excellent, btw).
It is set in Ireland after their Civil War and the Harris character commits a murder. The whole village knows he did it. The parish priest accuses his congregation of being complicit in the murder by their silence* and announces that no Masses will be said, no Confessions heard, &c. until the murderer is brought to justice.

Qy: I know this would never happen today but did a parish priest ever have the right to impose an interdict (correct term?) or mass excommunication on his flock?

*Actually, everyone “knew” but only one person was an actual witness.

I believe only a bishop may impose it. From Catholic Encyclopedia:

Any prelate having jurisdiction in foro externo can impose an interdict on his subjects or his territory.

The following incur *latae setentiae *interdict (from Wikipedia)

Physical violence against a bishop (canon 1370 §2)
Attempting to preside over or concelebrate in Mass while being a deacon or lay person (canon 1378 §2 1°)
Hearing and/or attempting to absolve confessions while being a deacon or lay person (canon 1378 §2 2°)
Falsely accusing a priest of soliciting adultery while in confession (canon 1390 §1)
Attempting to marry while having a perpetual vow of chastity (canon 1394 §2)

So the answer is no. The PP cannot order a formal interdict, but an informal one, maybe, but unlikely.

Incidentally, the last interdict was performed in 1961 in Malta. Hope this helps.