 | This is a documentation subpage for Template:User Excommunicated Catholic. It may contain usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page. |
This template will display a userbox describing you as an excommunicated Catholic. A wide variety of choices are available to show specificity about the particular rite or church within Catholicism to which you belong. Note that the Catholic Church regards baptized Catholics who have been excommunicated as Catholics who are not eligible to participate in certain specified church rituals. The Catholic Church does not expel its members; it only takes them out of communion with the church. Excommunication can be expressly imposed by an appropriate authority within the Church or it may be automatic based on acts done by the Catholic. Since many Catholics are unaware of the rules of automatic excommunication, they are often unaware that they have been excommunicated by their actions. Most people who consider themselves former Catholics are actually regarded as excommunicated Catholics (but nevertheless still Catholics) by the Church.