Excommunication. A penalty imposed by the Church on a sinner in order to bring about his correction and amendment. It consists of the exclusion of the sinner from the communion of the faithful with certain legal effects, including the loss of his right to assist at divine services, exclusion from all the sacraments, loss of all rights indulgences and public prayers of the church, etc. The sins for which a Catholic is excommunicated include the following:

1). Apostasy, heresy, or schism.
2). Publishing, reading or keeping certain forbidden books.
3). Publishing books of Scripture without due permission. Continue reading →