Vatican City (Fides Service) - On January 27 the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith made public a decree on the attempted ordination of a group of women and confirmed the sentence of excommunication. In the document the Congregation affirms: "On June 29, 2002, Romulo Antonio Braschi, founder of a schismatic community, attempted to ordain the seven Catholic women to the priesthood. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published a statement on July 10, 2002, warning the above-mentioned persons that they would be punished with excommunication if by July 22, 2002, they had not acknowledged the nullity of their "ordination" and asked forgiveness for the scandal caused to the faithful. As they gave no indication of amendment, this Congregation punished the aforementioned persons with excommunication, reserved to the Apostolic See, in the Decree dated August 5, 2002, expressing the hope that they might be moved to conversion. The Decree also confirmed that the "ordaining" bishop was already excommunicated insofar as he is a schismatic." At number 4. of the document the Congregation confirms the Decree of Excommunication issued on August 5, 2002, "specifying once again that the attempted priestly ordination of the aforementioned women is null and invalid and therefore all those actions proper to the Order of Priesthood performed by them are also null and invalid In consequence of the excommunication, they are forbidden to celebrate sacraments or sacramentals, to receive the sacraments and to exercise any function in an ecclesiastical office, ministry or assignment . At the same time, it is hoped that, sustained by the grace of the Holy Spirit, they might discover the path to conversion and so return to the unity of faith and to communion with the Church, a communion broken by their action." See full text of Decree in English, German and Italian at www.fides.org (Fides Service 31/1/2003)