Lincoln, USA -- The Vatican has let stand a 1996 order from Lincoln Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz that his parishioners must sever ties with 12 groups or face possible excommunication, the Lincoln Diocese said.
Among the groups are the lay reform organization Call to Action, abortion-rights advocates Planned Parenthood and Catholics for a Free Choice, and several Masonic organizations. Bruskewitz said the groups contradict Roman Catholic teaching.
An appeal was filed with the Vatican, but the Holy See notified the bishop that the appeal was rejected, said the Rev. Mark Huber, a spokesman for the diocese.
Huber said last week that Catholics who affiliate with the groups have two months to sever ties with them. Bruskewitz has said that parishioners must search their consciences to decide whether the warning applies to them.
Excommunication is a severe penalty under which Catholics cannot receive Holy Communion, or be married or buried in the church. They can, however, restore their communion with the church through confession.
Experts in church law questioned whether such a blanket action was valid. The Rev. Patrick Cogan, former executive coordinator of the Canon Law Society of America, said people must be notified individually of excommunication. "Bishops just can't identify organizations and say if you belong to them, you are excommunicated," Cogan said.