Urgent! Canon 1367 and possible excommunication

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Texsain

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Hello. I have an urgent question.

My wife went to confession this evening, and she came home in tears. During the Mass of the Assumption, she went to receive communion and after receiving the host in her mouth, she recalled that she was not in a proper state to receive communion. She confessed this to the priest, but went on to explain what she did after that.

Rather than swallow the host, she waited until Mass was over and went outside, proceeded to spit out the host and dispose of it on the ground in the bushes. She was not actually confessing that sin, because she did not realize it was sinful. She was just telling the priest what she did.

The priest was understandbly upset, and for 5 minutes he deliberated whether or not he could offer her absolution because of Canon 1367.
Can. 1367 A person who throws away the consecrated species or takes or retains them for a sacrilegious purpose incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See; moreover, a cleric can be punished with another penalty, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state.
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What is important is to know why she did it. When she was in college she was instructed by the (admittedly liberal) nun who ran the student center that she should dispose of excessed blood or hosts by dumping them on the ground (the center did not have a tabernacle for the hosts). Until tonight, she thought that it was permissible and proper to do what she did. Thus, as strange as it may seem, she thought that what she did (dispose of the host on the ground in the bushes) was proper, whereas she knew that consuming the eucharist at that time was improper (though, I think that once she received it in her mouth, she should have swallowed).

The priest eventually did absolve her. It seems to me that because she was misled and never properly instructed, thus lacking the knowledge of the action’s sinfulness, she did not commit a mortal sin.

What I am now concerned about is possible excommunication. It seems that according to Can. 1367 she has been excommunication, and possibly has been for years. Even though she did it out of misguided reverence, and did not intend any sacriledge, is she excommunicated? And if so, how do we rectify the situation? I am not well-versed in canon law, but the way I understand the statement is that she was “automatically excommunicated” and only the Apostolic See (Holy See/Rome?) can undo the excommunication.

My question to you all out there, especially those who are canon lawyers, is 1) is she excommunicated, and 2) what do I have to do from here?

I thank you all for your responses.
 
First off – the Priest of the place and she need to go find what remains of the Host and the Priest will know what to do from there.

As to excommunication – read the article on the main CA website. Here is one but there are more: catholic.com/quickquestions/apart-from-abortion-are-there-other-sins-that-incur-automatic-excommunication

And discuss it further with the Diocese perhaps. One can call the chancery office.

I am not a CL but CIC 1323 2 notes:

The following are not subject to a penalty when they have violated a law or precept:

2/ a person who without negligence was ignorant that he or she violated a law or precept; inadvertence and error are equivalent to ignorance;

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P4W.HTM
 
OK, I realize you r upset but you must trust the priest, who clearly determined she was NOT excommunicated and ABSOLVED your wife.

Canon Law can be complex. But on is not guilty of an excommunicable offense when done out of ignorance:

Can. 1323 The following are not subject to a penalty when they have violated a law or precept:

2/ a person who without negligence was ignorant that he or she violated a law or precept; inadvertence and error are equivalent to ignorance;
 
1ke said:
OK, I realize you r upset but you must trust the priest, who clearly determined she was NOT excommunicated and ABSOLVED your wife.

Canon Law can be complex. But on is not guilty of an excommunicable offense when done out of ignorance:

Can. 1323 The following are not subject to a penalty when they have violated a law or precept:

2/ a person who without negligence was ignorant that he or she violated a law or precept; inadvertence and error are equivalent to ignorance;
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Thank you for the clarification. This reflects my instinctual belief/hope. I was not aware of 1323.
 
If the Priest absolved her of her sins, there is nothing to debate. She can move forward and sin no more. The fact that she really did not know it was not okay, means that it is not a mortal sin. If she were to do it again, it would be a grave matter.
 
I think the question asked has been answered well by most of the respondents but another matter occurs to me. Your wife’s apparent delemma at the time of Communion may be an indication of of scrupulousity. Going to receive and being confronted with a doubt of worthiness might be something to discuss further with her. One need not strain the soul through a sieve to examine the conscience for a mortal sin. Was she doing so on the way to the altar? Scrupulosity is a great impediment to spiritual growth, and a needless source of misery to a great many people of faith. Your wife sounds to me like a sincere person of faith, and one whom God, and her husband dearly loves. If I’m barking up the wrong tree, scusi! I just thought it should be considered.
 
I would think in that position I’d rather consume the host and confess receiving while in a state of sin than dispose of the host like that. You just don’t spit a consecrated host on the ground. Yikes.
 
thomasf said:
I would think in that position I’d rather consume the host and confess receiving while in a state of sin than dispose of the host like that. You just don’t spit a consecrated host on the ground. Yikes.
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I agree…
 
Not that she did it on purpose. God and His mercy is unending. And i HIGHLY doubt she would do it again. she was granted absoloution.
 
As unfortunate as the situation was, it does not sound like your wife committed any sin. In order for one to a committ a mortal sin they must do the act knowing that it is wrong and do so anyway. Only if she had known this was the wrong thing to do and did it anyhow would there be any grave matter.

Your spouse thought that this was the right thing to do, she did not know better, so it was not sinful. Any sin that did occur has been confessed and absolved by the Priest.

I would definitely make sure though that the Priest knows where that host was placed on the ground, so hopefully some of the particles of it can be retrieved.

Your family is my prayers. Bless you both. 🙂
 
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