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Objection 1: It would seem that excommunication is unsuitably
defined by some thus: "Excommunication is separation from the
communion of the Church, as to fruit and general suffrages." For
the suffrages of the Church avail for those for whom they are offered.
But the Church prays for those who are outside the Church, as, for
instance, for heretics and pagans. Therefore she prays also for the
excommunicated, since they are outside the Church, and so the
suffrages of the Church avail for them.
Objection 2: Further, no one loses the suffrages of the Church
except by his own fault. Now excommunication is not a fault, but a
punishment. Therefore excommunication does not deprive a man of the
general suffrages of the Church.
Objection 3: Further, the fruit of the Church seems to be the same
as the Church's suffrages, for it cannot mean the fruit of temporal
goods, since excommunication does not deprive a man of these.
Therefore there is no reason for mentioning both.
Objection 4: Further, there is a kind of excommunication called
minor, by which man is not deprived of the suffrages of the Church.
Therefore this definition is unsuitable.
I answer that, When a man enters the Church by Baptism, he is
admitted to two things, viz. the body of the faithful and the
participation of the sacraments: and this latter presupposes the
former, since the faithful are united together in the participation of
the sacraments. Consequently a person may be expelled from the Church
in two ways. First, by being deprived merely of the participation of
the sacraments, and this is the minor excommunication. Secondly, by
being deprived of both, and this is the major excommunication, of
which the above is the definition. Nor can there be a third,
consisting in the privation of communion with the faithful, but not of
the participation of the sacraments, for the reason already given,
because, to wit, the faithful communicate together in the sacraments.
Now communion with the faithful is twofold. One consists in spiritual
things, such as their praying for one another, and meeting together
for the reception of sacred things; while another consists in certain
legitimate bodily actions. These different manners of communion are
signified in the verse which declares that those who are excommunicate
are deprived of---
"os, orare, vale, communio, mensa." "Os," i.e. we must not
give them tokens of goodwill; "orare," i.e. we must not pray with
them; "vale," we must not give them marks of respect;
"communio," i.e. we must not communicate with them in the
sacraments; "mensa," i.e. we must not take meals with them.
Accordingly the above definition includes privation of the sacraments
in the words "as to the fruit," and from partaking together with the
faithful in spiritual things, in the words, "and the general prayers
of the Church."
Another definition is given which expresses the privation of both kinds
of acts, and is as follows: "Excommunication is the privation of all
lawful communion with the faithful."
Reply to Objection 1: Prayers are said for unbelievers, but they
do not receive the fruit of those prayers unless they be converted to
the faith. In like manner prayers may be offered up for those who are
excommunicated, but not among the prayers that are said for the members
of the Church. Yet they do not receive the fruit so long as they
remain under the excommunication, but prayers are said for them that
they may receive the spirit of repentance, so that they may be loosed
from excommunication.
Reply to Objection 2: One man's prayers profit another in so far
as they can reach to him. Now the action of one man may reach to
another in two ways. First, by virtue of charity which unites all the
faithful, making them one in God, according to Ps. 118:63:
"I am a partaker with all them that fear Thee." Now
excommunication does not interrupt this union, since no man can be
justly excommunicated except for a mortal sin, whereby a man is already
separated from charity, even without being excommunicated. An unjust
excommunication cannot deprive a man of charity, since this is one of
the greatest of all goods, of which a man cannot be deprived against
his will. Secondly, through the intention of the one who prays,
which intention is directed to the person he prays for, and this union
is interrupted by excommunication, because by passing sentence of
excommunication, the Church severs a man from the whole body of the
faithful, for whom she prays. Hence those prayers of the Church
which are offered up for the whole Church, do not profit those who are
excommunicated. Nor can prayers be said for them among the members of
the Church as speaking in the Church's name, although a private
individual may say a prayer with the intention of offering it for their
conversion.
Reply to Objection 3: The spiritual fruit of the Church is derived
not only from her prayers, but also from the sacraments received and
from the faithful dwelling together.
Reply to Objection 4: The minor excommunication does not fulfill
all the conditions of excommunication but only a part of them, hence
the definition of excommunication need not apply to it in every
respect, but only in some.
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