Objection 1: It would seem that a man who is already under sentence of excommunication cannot be excommunicated any further. For the Apostle says: what have I to do to judge them that are without? (1 Cor 5:12). Now those who are excommunicated are already outside the Church. Therefore, the Church cannot exercise any further judgment on them, so as to excommunicate them again.

Obj. 2: Further, excommunication is privation of divine things and of the communion of the faithful. But when a man has been deprived of a thing, he cannot be deprived of it again. Therefore, one who is excommunicated cannot be excommunicated again.

On the contrary, Excommunication is a punishment and a healing medicine. Now punishments and medicines are repeated when necessary. Therefore, excommunication can be repeated.

I answer that, A man who is under sentence of one excommunication can be excommunicated again, either by a repetition of the same excommunication, for his greater shame so that he may renounce sin, or for some other cause. And then there are as many principal excommunications as there are causes for his being excommunicated.

Reply Obj. 1: The Apostle is speaking of heathens and of other unbelievers who have no sacramental character, whereby they are numbered among the people of God. But since the baptismal character whereby a man is numbered among God’s people is indelible, one who is baptized always belongs to the Church in some way, so that the Church is always competent to sit in judgment on him.

Reply Obj. 2: Although privation does not receive more or less in itself, yet it can as regards its cause. In this way an excommunication can be repeated, and a man who has been excommunicated several times is further from the Church’s prayers than one who has been excommunicated only once.