What does excommunicated even mean in the current context?
The Church's power comes from God. It is not a Genie in a lamp who obeys anyone who picks up and rubs the lamp.
Clearly Arch. Lefebvre didn't deserve to be excommunicated according to any sort of logic, rationality or historical consistency. He was the ONLY Bishop in the world actually defending what the Church was for hundreds of years before. If the Church can change to ignore previous teachings, reverse others and completely change its mission - then for hundreds of years before it was lying when it said it could not do that.
It's no disgrace to be sent to jail for crimes against the state in North Korea. It is a badge of honor, because the state only sends good people to jail for that crime.
I've never understood why anyone would care about being "excommunicated" by and from a bunch of paedophile protecting sodomites. And that is what they were. That is not a disgrace, it is an honour.
And what value is being in communion with them when they are in communion with just about everyone else? Pagans get to put their false gods on church altars and you are "excommunicated" from that. So what? Why would I care?
If I die and Hans Kung, JP2 and Hans Urs von Balthasar are in Heaven I will WANT to be sent to Hell. Because I will consider God to be a complete patsy and want nothing to do with him.
I absolutely detest men of their nature and certainly don't want to spend eternity in their company.