Chapter III. Irregularities arising from Crime

ACCORDING to Canon 985, the following are irregular from crime. These crimes, however, do not cause irregularity unless they were grave, external sins, whether public or occult, and committed after Baptism, except in the case of receiving Baptism from non-Catholics (Can. 986).

(1) Apostates from the faith, heretics, schismatics.

(2) Those who have allowed themselves to be baptized by non-Catholics in any way except in case of extreme necessity.

(3) Those who have dared to attempt marriage or to go through the form of a civil marriage, when either they themselves are bound by the bond of marriage or of a sacred Order or religious vows though only simple and temporary, or with a woman bound by the same vows or united in a valid marriage.

(4) Those who have committed voluntary homicide, or procured with effect the abortion of a human foetus, and all who co-operate in these crimes.

(5) Those who have mutilated themselves or others or have attempted to take away their own life, (6) Clerics who practise medicine or surgery forbidden to them, if death follows therefrom.

(7) Those who exercise an act of Orders reserved to clerics constituted in a sacred Order, when either they do not possess that Order, or have been forbidden its exercise by a canonical penalty, whether personal or local, medicinal or vindictive.