Hi folks, "Ancestral Trails" is THE book on British genealogy though it's really about English genealogy. It says about English (Anglican) practice the following. The time frame is not clear.....I suspect the CHurch of Ireland followed along somewhat the same. p 453 under "Punishments and Sentences of the Church Courts" The lightest was a reprimand or monition. Worse was a penance. For laymen the most serious was excommunication. Lesser excommunication excluded you from attending church, while greater excluded you from the company of Christians until granted absolution. You might be refused burial in the parish graveyard and/or the church could refuse to prove your will. In England in the 1600s it says many people were excommunicant for years, many were Catholics or non conformists. Or witchcraft. So at least in England you could be excommunicated for being Catholic or a nonconforming Protestant. Linda Merle ________________________________________________________________ Sent via the WebMail system at mail.fea.net