re: #154 CIA Reject

Excommunication is something you do to yourself by choosing to believe something contrary to Church Doctrine, or not believe something that Doctrine requires you to believe.

The Pope simply points out that your (dis)belief is against Church Doctrine and if you persist in it you have hence have cut yourself off from the Church.

You are not a Catholic if you do not believe the teachings of the Catholic Church.

My paternal grandfather was excommunicated from the church many, many
years ago. He was an Irish Catholic and he married a protestant Norwegian girl. Thank goodness that rule changed.