In Roman Catholic canon law, an interdict ( /ˈɪntərdɪkt/) is an ecclesiastical censure that excludes from certain rites of the Church individuals or groups, who nonetheless do not cease to be members of the Church.[1]
Contents |
Before 1983, interdicts were either personal, if applied directly to persons, wherever they were, or local, if applied directly to a locality and only indirectly to the people in that place whether permanently or only on a visit.[2] Only the Holy See was empowered to impose a general interdict on a diocese or country or a personal interdict on the people of a diocese or country, but bishops too could impose a general interdict on a parish or on the people of a parish or a particular interdict on a place (such as a church or oratory, an altar or a cemetery) or a person.[3]
A local interdict forbade in general the public celebration of sacred rites. Exceptions were made for the dying, and local interdicts were almost entirely suspended on five feasts of the year: Christmas Day, Easter Sunday, Pentecost, Corpus Christi and the feast of the Assumption of Mary.[4] Besides, in the case of a general local interdict, it remained permitted to celebrate in the cathedral or the only church in a town, but without any solemnity such as the ringing of bells and the playing of music, a single Mass, baptism, confession, and marriage.
Those who were under personal interdict were forbidden to be present at any religious rite except the preaching of the word of God. While passive assistance by them did not require that they be expelled, but if they were well known to be under interdict they were to be prevented from taking an active part.[5]
Today, one who is under interdict is forbidden to take any ministerial part in the celebration of the Eucharist or of any other ceremony of public worship. Indeed, one violating this prohibition is to be expelled or the sacred rite suspended, unless there is a grave reason to the contrary. The person under interdict is also forbidden to celebrate or receive the sacraments or to celebrate the sacramentals.[6]
If the interdict has been imposed or declared (not just incurred automatically), they are not to be admitted to Holy Communion[7] (see canon 915). In the same circumstances, local ordinaries and parish priests lose their right to assist validly at marriages.[8]
Automatic (latae sententiae) interdict is incurred by anyone using physical violence against a bishop[9] as also by a person who, not being an ordained priest, attempts to celebrate Mass, or who, though unable to give valid sacramental absolution, attempts to do so, or hears a sacramental confession.[10] Automatic interdict is also incurred by anyone falsely accusing a priest of soliciting sexual favours in connection with confession[11] or attempting to marry while having a perpetual vow of chastity.[12]
An interdict is also the censure that canon law says should be imposed on someone who, because of some act of ecclesiastical authority or ministry publicly incites to hatred against the Holy See or the Ordinary, or who promotes or takes up office in an association that plots against the Church,[13] or who commits the crime of simony[14]
In Malta between 8 April 1961 and 4 April 1969 the leadership of the Malta Labour Party, readers, advertisers and distributors of Party papers as well as its voters were interdicted by the local bishop.[20] Previously, between 1930 and 1933 interdiction was imposed on the Constitutional Party and Labour. In both cases, the Nationalist Party won elections while its opponents were interdicted.[21]
Bishop René Henry Gracida of Corpus Christi, Texas interdicted a Roman Catholic politician in the late 20th century for supporting legal abortion; the unnamed individual died while under interdict.[22]
In Anglican canon law, bishops in the Anglican Communion may still in theory possess the power of interdict, but seem not to have exercised it since the English Reformation.
In Scottish law, "an interdict is a civil court order that tells a person not to do something or to stay away from you, your children or a specific place, such as your house. If a person doesn't stick to an interdict, the police might be able to arrest them if the interdict gives them the power to do so."[23]