How do Catholic decrees work?

Coriolanus

Just wondering, when a Pope makes a decree, does it only act the one time it is decreed or are they kind of, always in force?

I've been looking into various decrees made, in particular the 1949 decree excommunicating any and all supporters of Communism and the 1935(?) decree excommunicating supporters of the Nazi party in Germany.
The Communist one was "confirmed" in the 50s when the Pope stated that Castro would indeed be excommunicated but I can't find any information on whether or not that action was needed by the Pope, or would Castro have been considered excommunicate anyway, and the Pope was just highlighting this.

Any thoughts at all are welcome.

tim_holsters

Has there ever been a case where God has stated implicitly that he disagrees with a case of excommunication?

I suppose what I mean is that has he ever slapped the wrists of a pope and said hold on a minute I like this guy and excommunication or not he shall be gaining admittance to heaven.

Who is the final arbiter God or the pope?

Coriolanus

tim_holsters wrote: »

Has there ever been a case where God has stated implicitly that he disagrees with a case of excommunication?

I suppose what I mean is that has he ever slapped the wrists of a pope and said hold on a minute I like this guy and excommunication or not he shall be gaining admittance to heaven.

Who is the final arbiter God or the pope?

Well, I'd presume that if God actually did reach down and bitchslap Il Pape, he'd get his way on the matter. :pac:
In the absence of a direct sign from God I thought the Pope was the final arbiter?

tim_holsters

So the pope is all powerful TBH I'd assumed as much.

Keylem

Excommunication is biblical.

Douay-Rheims Bible

Galatians 1:8

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.

Anathema.
Greek anathema — literally, placed on high, suspended, set aside.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01455e.htm

Keylem

tim_holsters wrote: »

So the pope is all powerful TBH I'd assumed as much.

The Pope has Authority in matters of the Catholic Faith.


Douay-Rheims Bible

Matt: 18:18

Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.

Matt: 28:18

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

tim_holsters

Right I'm a layman here, so God and the pope are basically equal? On earth anyways?

Coriolanus

No. My understanding of it is, that in the absense of any direct action by God, the Pope calls the shots. If God did make his will manifest (and we've been waiting a while for that to happen since the last time he turned on the divine megaphone to manifest a booming voice or whatever) then obviously that would trump the Pope.
But he doesn't, and probably won't.

tim_holsters

So in the end we just have our say on things, that is human beings. Anythings else is just well, conjecture.

Coriolanus

Well, no. I mean, if you are a Catholic, or even a Christian of another stripe, you presumably believe that God did manifest himself at some stage. There were some inviolates handed down in that case. That comes directly from God I guess.