Rumanian priest is excommunicated

THE Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy office has published the following decree : " Several Catholic priests of the Latin rite in Rumania, privately and publicly. in conjunction with the Communists. are attempting to seduce Catholic clergy and faithful from due submission to their legitimate pastors and especially from submission due to the Roman Pontiff.
" Of these. the priest Andrew Agotha plays a leading part, and although he has already been warned by the Holy See, he has obstinately persisted in his mode of action.
"Therefore the Eminent and Most Rev. Fathers charged with the safeguarding of matters of faith and morals have decreed the following: "The priest Andrew Agotha is declared excommunicate vitandus with all the effects of Canon Law as
mentioned in Canon 2258 and the following canons.
" The other priests are also warned that they, too, will be declared excommunicate ritatrdi if they do not desist at once from giving encouragement to this schismatic sect.
"The remainder of the clergy and the faithful are also to take care and not join this schismatic sect, because by so doing they will ipso facto incur excommunication as laid down in Canon 2314."
The sentence on Fr. Agotha is major excommunication. He may not celebrate Mass or administer or receive any sacrament.