Mortal sin before Marriage

[Frankman]

Before my wife an I where married we had an abortion we were very young and very afraid of our families as they are both Catholic as we are. We got married 5 years after the abortion took place and where not aware that we were excommunicated as a result of being part of an abortion. I know that we must go confess this sin. If we as for true forgiveness we will be given it. My question is how does this impact our marriage in the eyes of the church as we have been married for 14 years? Are we considered to have a valid marriage?

 

[kage_ar]

Please, go see your Priest. Know that God will forgive those things we Confess.

Also, visit this site rachelsvineyard.org/

I will pray for you, your wife, and your child.

 

[nobeerinheaven]

To answer your question, yes, you were excommunicated - though this is easily repaired simply by going to the confessional and admitting your sins, repenting and having a priest absolve you; however, excommunication does not preclude the validity of the marriage as far as I know (your priest, or the Ask An Apologist could give you a more authoritative answer). Likewise, I believe your marriage is valid.

 

[LilyM]

No sacrament is rendered invalid by your being in mortal sin at the time you receive it, although of course you do need to repent and confess.

Are you saying neither of you have been to confession at all in those 14 years?

 

[puzzleannie]

see your priest, too many variables to answer here

be at peace, each of you must confess this if you have not already done so, including the circumstances (your age at the time, fears, force etc). You cannot be excommunicated if you don’t know about the penalty or if you were not Catholic at the time, or if you were a minor at the time. In this country any priest has the faculty to lift the penalty of excommunication for this sin in confession. don’t wait for the peace and healing of God’s mercy. bear in mind something this serious carries fallout that can last for years, and look up a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat in your area for healing.

 

[nobeerinheaven]

You cannot be excommunicated if you don’t know about the penalty …], or if you were a minor at the time.

I have a good feeling this is false. What is your source for this information?
*
Latae Sentiae* excommunications (which are automatically incurred whenever someone procures an abortion or assists in that procurement), unlike mortal sins, do not require knowledge of the penalty to go into effect, as far as I have seen in official Church doctrine or canon law - nor are they mitigated by legal restrictions about who counts as an adult or a “minor” (no excommunications until your 18th birthday? What about countries that define “minor” as anyone under 16 - people in that country can be excommunicated earlier?).

So, can you link me to something authoritative that makes a similar claim? I’d hate to see disinformation being passed around as legitimate, especially given the gravity of the situation.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I have a good feeling this is false. What is your source for this information?

Latae Sentiae excommunications (which are automatically incurred whenever someone procures an abortion or assists in that procurement), unlike mortal sins, do not require knowledge of the penalty to go into effect, as far as I have seen in official Church doctrine or canon law - nor are they mitigated by legal restrictions about who counts as an adult or a “minor” (no excommunications until your 18th birthday? What about countries that define “minor” as anyone under 16 - people in that country can be excommunicated earlier?).

So, can you link me to something authoritative that makes a similar claim? I’d hate to see disinformation being passed around as legitimate, especially given the gravity of the situation.

Can. 1324 §1. The perpetrator of a violation is not exempt from a penalty, but the penalty established by law or precept must be tempered or a penance employed in its place if the delict was committed:
1/ by a person who had only the imperfect use of reason;
2/ by a person who lacked the use of reason because of drunkenness or another similar culpable disturbance of mind;
3/ from grave heat of passion which did not precede and hinder all deliberation of mind and consent of will and provided that the passion itself had not been stimulated or fostered voluntarily;
4/ by a minor who has completed the age of sixteen years;
5/ by a person who was coerced by grave fear, even if only relatively grave, or due to necessity or grave inconvenience if the delict is intrinsically evil or tends to the harm of souls;
6/ by a person who acted without due moderation against an unjust aggressor for the sake of legitimate self defense or defense of another;
7/ against someone who gravely and unjustly provokes the person;
8/ by a person who thought in culpable error that one of the circumstances mentioned in ⇒ can. 1323, nn. 4 or 5 was present;
9/ by a person who without negligence did not know that a penalty was attached to a law or precept;
10/ by a person who acted without full imputability provided that the imputability was grave.
§2. A judge can act in the same manner if another circumstance is present which diminishes the gravity of a delict.
§3. In the circumstances mentioned in §1, the accused is not bound by a latae sententiae penalty.