Today it was announced that Archbishop Vigano was excommunicated as a result of this "extrajudicial process" to which he was summoned and refused to go. Vigano stated his belief that the decision to excommunicate him was already a done deal prior to his summons.
This scenario is eerily reminiscent of the incident twelve years ago in my own parish regarding Father Marcel Guarnizo. After Father refused Holy Communion to an out-and-proud lesbian, his faculties for the Archdiocese of Washington were removed. He was called to the chancery for a discussion, but as he stated in his account of the debacle, the letter announcing his ouster was already sealed and on the desk of then Auxiliary Bishop Barry Knestout. During that time I penned and posted an open letter to the Apostolic Nuncio regarding Guarnizo's situation. That Nuncio was none other than Archbishop Vigano.
I reiterate my call to stand in support of Archbishop Vigano. He is by no means the first to be excommunicated vindictively. I speak of saints such as Athanasius, Joan of Arc, Columba, Mary MacKillop.
In researching this matter, I found others who were excommunicated for doubting the legitimacy of Francis' papacy. I haven't had the time to research these cases in depth, but post these for your consideration. On Christmas Eve, 2019, three hermits named Father Stephen de Kerdrel, Sister Colette Roberts and Brother Damon Kelly living in Scotland were excommunicated after accusing Pope Francis of heresy in an online statement. So much for all this "mercy"!
In August 2020, Fr. Jeremy Leatherby, a priest of the Diocese of Sacramento, incurred an automatic excommunication for schism after refusing to recognize the legitimacy of Pope Francis, most notably substituting his name with that of his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI and omitting the name of Bishop Jaime Soto during the Eucharistic Prayer while offering Mass.
Father Ramon Guidetti of the diocese of Livorno was excommunicated by his bishop Simone Giusti in January 2024 following a new year's eve address shared online in which he denounced Pope Francis as an anti-pope.
So it does not seem that Archbishop Vigano is alone. He certainly isn't the first. Will he be the last? What about Cardinals Burke, Sarah, Muller? Bishops Schneider and Strickland (with the latter already stripped of his diocese)? Why him and not Martin, Rupnic, Stowe, etc? Is this revenge on McCarrick's behalf? So many questions are begging to be answered.
Meanwhile, this video should provide some food for thought.
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