The Catholic Church is currently in the middle of an intense standoff with a rebel group known as the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). On Wednesday, the Vatican issued the ultimate religious threat, excommunication if the group sticks to its plans to ordain new bishops without the necessary approval from Pope Leo. Per Newsweek, the Vatican is making it clear that such an action would be viewed as a formal rupture, or schism, with the Church.
If you know your history, you know that all of those terms came with every major medieval clash with the Church. Excommunication is the most severe penalty the Catholic Church can issue. It bars anyone who incurs it from receiving the sacraments or even participating in worship. If a member were to die while under this sanction, they would even be unable to receive a Catholic burial.
