excommunication

Definition

An ecclesiastical censure used by a church to exclude a person from participation in the sacraments and community, effectively severing their official religious membership.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'excommunicare', meaning to put out of the community or cast out of the church, combining 'ex' (out) and 'communicare' (to share or communicate).

In the news

The term is used to describe a threatened religious sanction against Governor Maura Healey due to her legislative support for an abortion-related bill.

Pols & Politics: Wu wants to gut law tempering property tax increases

Boston Herald

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