Either you're full of malarkey, or the priest was, or someone isn't telling the whole story. Being abandoned by a spouse isn't a sin, and can't be grounds for excommunication.
WOW! You are re-writing history, friend.
Do you not know that Catholics who divorced were not allowed to receive the sacrament in the early 60's? Tens of thousands of good Catholics were refused the sacrament for doing NOTHING wrong but being abandoned.
Why do you think so many Catholics got annulments which costs several thousand dollars? So they could go back to CHURCH!!!!!!!!!
Sheesh - you people who are alluding to something in my past or my parent's past are disgusting.