Can a Catholic be excommunicated for marrying a protestant devorcee despite the divorce happining 18 years before they met each other?

Answer 1

Catholics believe that all Remarriage is Adultery (cheating on a partner/wife/husband etc) so the Protestant would believe in the forgiving side of the debate whereas the Catholic would be expected to take a more traditional view on things. However it was Jesus that said that Adultery should be the only reason for a divorce. Catholics would be expected to avoid remarriages...

Roman Catholic AnswerIf a person is validly married in the eyes of God, it would not matter how much time has elapsed since a civil divorce was obtained, they would still be married in the eyes of God; remember God has no "time". You need to speak to a priest to have the protestant's marriage examined to see if it was valid or not.

A layman might look on such a marriage as causing an excommunication, but excommunication is for very serious offenses such as throwing away the Sacred Species, attacking the Pontiff, or procuring a successful abortion. The effects might be the same (you can't go to Holy Communion), but it is not technically "excommunication".