Significavit

[M.SIGGA]

Why is public excommunication scarcely used anymore by bishops? It kept a lot of theology in check many years ago, but since it's scarcity, many faithful are blinded and mislead by preachers, teachers, and public leaders who declare they are faithful members of the Church. I know the Church says folks automatically excommunicate themselves now, but without having it "on paper", how is a person to know that it is definite? I saw that the Pope himself had to publicly excommunicate the female priests that were ordained a couple years ago, but why aren't more done like this in the same way? That public excommunication seemed to send a definite message that this wouldn't be tolerated, but there are so many more abusive people destroying what the Church teaches everyday from Catholic pulpits and universities. Thanks for the reply.

[Pontifex]

It is a good question. I think we need to be more vocal as a Church, especially in our stance against evil. We have become lax in many ways, and bought into this spirit of relativism that has tried to infest the Church.

However, recently there have been signs of hope and I think your question exhibits this. Some of our Bishops have come out recently to say, that we need to start thinking about public excommunication as a way to deter Catholic politicians from endorsing abortion.

So, I agree with you, and I think we need to pray that the we stand up as a Church family, aggressively, against evil.

Fr. Pontifex