Montreal, Canada - The Roman Catholic Church here announced Thursday it has excommunicated members of a Canadian group called the Army of Mary, led by an 86-year-old who claims to be a reincarnation of Jesus' mother.
The movement has been at odds with the Vatican for more than two decades, and at one time counted some 20,000 members, though the current number is believed to be much lower, according to Canadian media reports.
The excommunications apply to anyone from the group, also known as the "Lady of All Nations," who took part in a June 3 mass ordination ceremony despite strong warnings from the church officials forbidding them from doing so.
"Despite repeated warnings by the Bishops of Canada ... members of the Army of Mary earlier this year participated in ordinations forbidden by and not recognized by the Catholic Church," the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement.
"The doctrine promoted by the movement ... is heretical," the Catholic church declared.
"Whoever knowingly and deliberately embraces this doctrine incurs an excommunication latea sententiae due to heresy."
Among the group's beliefs is the notion that rather than a holy trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit there is a "quinternity," which includes Mary mother of Jesus and her divine incarnation on earth, Marie-Paule Giguere.
The list of those now forever barred from the church include Father Jean-Pierre Mastropietro, for having performed the ceremony, and several other individuals claiming to have been ordained by him as deacons and priests.
According to Roman Catholic canon law, only bishops may ordain priests.