Oh, and btw, the Pope didn't excommunicate the French because they must be smaller than you. He only excommunicates people who pick on the underdog (invade somebody with fewer provinces then them) and he gives a warning first, saying you have 2 years to knock it off. If you had been warned within the past 10 years, and you started an offensive action against the French, then yeah, you would get excommunicated (no 2nd warning).