Vitandus
Encyclopedia
A vitandus excommunicate was someone affected by a rare and grave form of excommunication
, in which the Church ordered, as a remedial measure, that the faithful were not to associate with him "except in the case of husband and wife, parents, children, servants, subjects", and in general unless there was some reasonable excusing cause.
It thus imposed a form of shunning
somewhat similar to Jewish cherem
.
Since the coming into effect of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, this form of excommunication is no longer envisaged in the canon law
of the Catholic Church. The 1917 Code still included it, imposing it automatically (a latae sententiae
excommunication) on anyone who did physical violence to the Pope himself, and declaring that with that exception, "nobody is a vitandus excommunicate unless the Apostolic See
has excommunicated him by name and has proclaimed the excommunication publicly and in the decree has stated expressly that he must be avoided".
The distinction between a vitandus and a toleratus ("tolerated") excommunicate was introduced for the first time by Pope Martin V
in 1418.
The most notable case in the 20th century of excommunication with the effect of making the person a vitandus was that of the priest Alfred Loisy
.
In 1950, antipope
Michel Collin, of the sedevacantist group Apostles of Infinite Love
, announced that he had taken the name Clement XV. Pope Pius XII
laicized him in 1951 and publicly declared him by name a vitandus excommunicate
.
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
, in which the Church ordered, as a remedial measure, that the faithful were not to associate with him "except in the case of husband and wife, parents, children, servants, subjects", and in general unless there was some reasonable excusing cause.
It thus imposed a form of shunning
Shunning
Shunning can be the act of social rejection, or mental rejection. Social rejection is when a person or group deliberately avoids association with, and habitually keeps away from an individual or group. This can be a formal decision by a group, or a less formal group action which will spread to all...
somewhat similar to Jewish cherem
Cherem
Cherem , is the highest ecclesiastical censure in the Jewish community. It is the total exclusion of a person from the Jewish community. It is a form of shunning, and is similar to excommunication in the Catholic Church...
.
Since the coming into effect of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, this form of excommunication is no longer envisaged in the canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
of the Catholic Church. The 1917 Code still included it, imposing it automatically (a latae sententiae
Latae sententiae
Latæ sententiæ is a Latin term used in the canon law of the Catholic Church meaning literally "given sentence".Officially, a latae sententiae penalty follows automatically, by force of the law itself, when the law is contravened....
excommunication) on anyone who did physical violence to the Pope himself, and declaring that with that exception, "nobody is a vitandus excommunicate unless the Apostolic See
Apostolic See
In Christianity, an apostolic see is any episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus.Out of the many such sees, five acquired special importance in Chalcedonian Christianity and became classified as the Pentarchy in Eastern Orthodox Christianity...
has excommunicated him by name and has proclaimed the excommunication publicly and in the decree has stated expressly that he must be avoided".
The distinction between a vitandus and a toleratus ("tolerated") excommunicate was introduced for the first time by Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V , born Odo Colonna, was Pope from 1417 to 1431. His election effectively ended the Western Schism .-Biography:...
in 1418.
The most notable case in the 20th century of excommunication with the effect of making the person a vitandus was that of the priest Alfred Loisy
Alfred Loisy
Alfred Firmin Loisy was a French Roman Catholic priest, professor and theologian who became the intellectual standard bearer for Biblical Modernism in the Roman Catholic Church...
.
In 1950, antipope
Antipope
An antipope is a person who opposes a legitimately elected or sitting Pope and makes a significantly accepted competing claim to be the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church. At times between the 3rd and mid-15th century, antipopes were typically those supported by a...
Michel Collin, of the sedevacantist group Apostles of Infinite Love
Apostles of Infinite Love
The Apostles of Infinite Love is a group mainly active in Quebec and Guadeloupe. It was founded by Michel Collin, a French priest in Lille, and self-proclaimed Pope , saying he was inspired by "unknown messages" from the Virgin Mary...
, announced that he had taken the name Clement XV. Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
laicized him in 1951 and publicly declared him by name a vitandus excommunicate
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
.