Schism, Excommunication and the Catholic Church

Schism has been in the news lately, with recent headlines involving Archbishop Carlo Maria ViganĂ², the former nuncio to the United States, being summoned to Rome to face formal charges of schism, and a community of Poor Clare nuns in Belorado, Spain, being excommunicated by their local bishop for incurring schism.

Jul 05, 2024

Archbishop Carlo ViganĂ² (photo: Edward Pentin / National Catholic Register )


By Jenna Marie Cooper

Schism has been in the news lately, with recent headlines involving Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the former nuncio to the United States, being summoned to Rome to face formal charges of schism, and a community of Poor Clare nuns in Belorado, Spain, being excommunicated by their local bishop for incurring schism.

But what is schism?
Fundamentally, schism is a canonical crime. While the Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law is based on faith and morals, it is a legal system designed to ensure the good governance of the Church, creating an environment for the faithful to grow closer to God. Canon law distinguishes between sins and canonical crimes, with the latter being sins that more outwardly affect sacramental discipline or Church governance.

Canon 751 defines schism as “the withdrawal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or from communion with the members of the Church subject to him,” contrasting it with heresy and apostasy. Heresy is the denial or doubt of a truth of faith after baptism, while apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith.

Purity of Doctrinal Belief
An apostate abandons Christianity entirely, and a heretic denies essential truths of the faith. A schismatic, however, might uphold the Church’s teachings but refuse to acknowledge the pope’s authority or separate from the Church’s institutional structure. Schism is not an accidental or weak act of faith but a deliberate one. Respectful disagreement or frustration with the pope’s actions does not constitute schism, nor does sarcastically complaining about him, although inciting disobedience or hatred against Church authorities is a separate crime under Canon 1373.

Canonical crimes, unlike simple sins, can incur punishments from the Church. Relevant authorities, often the local bishop or the pope, may have discretion in imposing punishment, but some crimes carry automatic penalties.

‘Medicinal Penalty’
Schism incurs a latae sententiae (automatic) excommunication under Canon 1364 §1. An excommunicated person cannot receive or celebrate sacraments, nor hold ecclesiastical office. Excommunication, misunderstood by many as being “kicked out” of the Church, is actually a “medicinal penalty” intended to wake up the offender and encourage repentance.
‘Expiatory Penalties’

In contrast, expiatory penalties restore community justice and are punitive, including fines, loss of office, dismissal from the clerical state, and other restrictions. Excommunication can result from a canonical trial or be automa-tic for serious crimes. Latae sententiae penalties may not be immediately obvious to others, necessitating declared versus undeclared excommunications. Declared excommunications are formally recognised, acknowledging the offender has excommunicated themselves.

As schism involves automatic excommunication, it can also warrant additional expiatory penalties if the scandal is severe. Even if the offender repents and is reconciled, an enduring penalty might address the scandal caused. These laws, while seemingly harsh, aim to protect the Church and ensure justice for all the faithful. Reflecting Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17:21, the Church’s authority must address breaks in communion appropriately. --NCR

This is an abridged version. To read the full article go to: https://bit.ly/3L9BrgV

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