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One of the Vatican's former envoys to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, has been found guilty of inciting division in the Catholic Church, leading to his excommunication.
Knewz.com has learned that his infraction dubbed a schism, followed accusations of his refusal to take communion with his subjects and accept Pope Francis’s authority.
In a press release on July 5, it was noted that the former archbishop’s “notes” and public statements were taken into account along with allegations that he refused “to recognize and submit to the Supreme Pontiff, [partake] of communion with the members of the Church subject to him [and acknowledge] the legitimacy and magisterial authority of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council.”
According to the Italian daily newspaper, Avvenire, the announcement produced by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) claimed that at the end of the extrajudicial procedure, it was determined that Viganò was “guilty of the reserved crime of schism.”
The latter then led to the sentencing of “excommunication latae sententiae.”
The motion means that Viganò will no longer be able to celebrate sacraments as his crime is considered a menace to the unity of the Catholic Church.
According to a report by The Guardian, Viganò – who also happens to be a conspiracy theorist on matters like COVID-19 – created a following of like-minded people during his service to the church.
He also knew the ex-communication was afoot as he was informed that there was an investigative process against him.
At the time he said: “I regard the accusations against me as an honor.”
Avvenire referred to another member of the Catholic Church who was found guilty of a schism in September 1976.
The Vietnamese Pierre Martin Ngò-dinh-Thuc’s crime, according to the Vatican’s standards, was that he had consecrated five new bishops without the necessary mandate.
Ngò-dinh-Thuc would then seek absolution and have it granted only to commit the same crime again bringing upon himself another excommunication in 1983.
Seven years later the French archbishop, Marcel Lefebvre, was found guilty of schism. His crime was the same as Ngò-dinh-Thuc.
The same penalty was extended to an African Archbishop in 2006. At the time of issuance, Emmanuel Milingo was already on suspension for marrying a Korean woman. He was ultimately excommunicated for consecrating new bishops without recognizing the authority of the Pope.
The closest infraction to that of Viganò would originate in France from a priest by the name of Georges de Nantes.
Like Viganò, de Nantes was a vocal critic of the Vatican and accused two popes (Paul VI and John Paul II) of heresy.
He was suspended in 1966 but was granted a hearing. There he tried to substantiate his stance but was rejected and received warnings in 1969 and 1983.
The priest was then served with a weakened form of excommunication (interdict) in 1997.