[dsc]

“We Catholics regard material assistance to or complicity with abortion is a mortal sin and therefore the grounds for automatic (latae sententiae) excommunication.”

How is such an excommunication lifted?

[Mrs. Don-o]

You go to confession and tell the priest you're excommunicarted latae sentenciae and explain the circumstances. Either he has the authority to lift it under the stated circumstances, or he doesn't. If he doesn't, he can't give you absolution but he can send you to the designated priest who can.

In every diocese, I believe, not just the bishop but priests designated by the bishop can lift an excommunication.

I ain't no canonist, so if there's more to be said, I hope somebody will jump in and tell it better than I did.

[BlackElk]

By making a good and sincere confession of such sins and receiving the sacrament of Penance or “Reconciliation.” If I am wrong, I am open to correction by anyone more knowledgeable. I very much wish that the Vatican would also require repentance as open and as publicized as the sin but I don’t think that is yet required.