The president of a non-partisan research institute dedicated to reestablishing a proper understanding of the dignity of the human person is interested to see what will happen now that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has voted to commission a statement on the meaning of communion – and if it would be advisable to serve the sacrament to pro-abortion politicians.
Austin Ruse of the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam) says the Catholic Church in America finds itself in a place it has never been before.
“We’ve never had a president of the United States who’s both Catholic and a dissenter on fundamental teachings of the Church,” Ruse tells One News Now. “So there’s an awful lot of confusion out there, and the bishops are just trying to clean it up.”
75% of the US bishops voted to draft a teaching document on the Eucharist, and it is expected to recommend that politicians who actively encourage the taking of preborn human life be banned from being served. But Ruse points out that the Conference cannot demand that it be so.
“The US Conference of Catholic Bishops doesn’t have that kind of authority,” the C-Fam president notes. “”he authority runs from the individual communicant to his bishop to the Pope.”
American pro-abortion politicians are rarely turned away from the communion table, although it did happen in 2019 to then-candidate Joe Biden by a priest in Florence, South Carolina.
Ruse believes such a strong majority of bishops agreeing to address the subject might actually empower other priests to uphold this essential Catholic teaching.
“This very well could give the rest of the bishops a little bit of steely spine,” he submits.
In response, 60 pro-abortion Catholic Democrats in Congress have issued a “Statement of Principles” that argues the ban would be “weaponizing the sacrament.”
Ruse calls it a brazen act of defiance.
“They are directly challenging the Catholic Church about fundamental issues of human rights,” he says.
When asked about the ban, Joe Biden answered, “That’s a private matter, and I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
But Ruse is looking forward to the confrontation.
“I actually am quite happy with that document,” he shares. “I’m quite happy with the direct challenge that Congressman Lieu put up on social media a few days ago – absolutely right in the face of his bishop, challenging him to withhold communion.”
California Congressman Ted Lieu recently called the bishops “nakedly partisan” and “hypocrites” on the issue.
“I wonder if his bishop can ignore something quite so brazen as that. Forget withholding communion; I’d like to see a bishop excommunicate one of these jokers. It’s an ‘I dare you’ to his bishop, and I hope his bishop calls him on it,” Ruse concludes.
In the nearly two-page letter, the federal legislators claim that they “work every day to advance respect for life and the dignity of every human being” and that they “agree with the Catholic Church about the value of human life” despite openly supporting policies that allow for and encourage the destruction of unborn children.
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Copyright American Family News. Reprinted with permission.
“In response, 60 pro-abortion Catholic Democrats in Congress have issued a “Statement of Principles” that argues the ban would be “weaponizing the sacrament.”
pro-abortion Catholic Democrats??
Not everyone who claims to be a Christian, is a true Christian.
Not every church, is a Christian Church of Jesus Christ.
I wonder what part of #6 of the 10 Commandments of GOD – “Thou Shalt Not Kill”
confuses these pro-abortion Catholic Democrats??
“In response, 60 pro-abortion Catholic Democrats in Congress have issued a “Statement of Principles” that argues the ban would be “weaponizing the sacrament.”
Not weaponizing the sacrament but upholding its meaning. If a person has not been to confession and is not in a state of grace, he/she should not be taking communion. Supporting abortion is contrary to the teachings of the church and removes you from a state of grace, therefore no communion. Life begins at conception and except for a few very specific exceptions, abortion is “MURDER!”
Now is one heck of a time to reveal the foundations of Catholicism to Biden. He’s been a church going practitioner all his life…he says.
Not being a religious guy, I side with the Catholic Bishops.
Receiving Holy Eucharist is a gift from God and a privilege NOT a right. To receive in the Catholic faith one needs to be in a state of grace which means not living in mortal sin. The definition of a mortal sin is that it 1) be of grave matter/issue 2) that the person knows that what they are doing is sinful and against the teachings of God and 3) knowingly do the sinful action or behavior anyway. It is pretty clear that the Democrat ‘Catholics’ fit the definition of acting in a way that is a mortal sin regarding Eucharist.
Archbishop Cordileone of San Francisco gave a point by point rebuttal to the ridiculously self-serving ‘Statement of Principle’ put out by the 59 Democrats.
Various politicians telling the Church how to think, how to uphold the moral and ethical teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, and thinking that they can make the rules is the epitome of narcissism. If the politicians don’t like what the Church teaches then perhaps they need to rethink why the believe what they believe (find the errors of their ways) or find a church that fits their sensibilities.
“The US Conference of Catholic Bishops doesn’t have that kind of authority,” the C-Fam president notes. “(T)he authority runs from the individual communicant to his bishop to the Pope.”
The authority of church operations may stop with the pope but the Bible is clear of where ALL authority originates.
Church Law is clear on the reception of the Eucharist.Most American Bishops are afraid to challenge the rich and powerful, especially when their congregation is so divided. They had no trouble in earlier years, telling divorcees, especially those that remarried (without having an annulment their previous marriage) that they were not allowed to receive Eucharist and some, as in the case of the scandalous Vanderbilts, were excommunicated publicly. Even the practice of birth control is considered a grave sin that excludes a member from receiving Eucharist. All these can be forgiven with confession and repentance. In the case of Biden, he is publicly flouting the law of God and the Church and is thus not “in communion” with it. If ignored, he will influence others to ignore these laws and lead them into sin as well. That is why the bishops have an obligation to deny the Eucharist to him (and other politicians) until such repentance occurs. It is not for the purpose of punishment but to lead one to a change of heart.
““We’ve never had a president of the United States who’s both Catholic and a dissenter on fundamental teachings of the Church,” Ruse tells One News Now. “So there’s an awful lot of confusion out there, and the bishops are just trying to clean it up.” How can one be a Christian or a Catholic and be in favor of murdering babies in the womb? Why is there “confusion” among Bishops or anyone else for that matter associated with the Catholic Church, with regard to murder?
There is so much hypocrisy written into the Statement of Principles by members of Congress who want, no demand, both ways. They pass laws against racism then offer loans to racial minorities, eschew exclusivity by race or sex for public organizations but mave membership in ostensibly white only clubs, now they want to interfere in Church doctrine. The religions are their own entity, not answerable to the government, the founding fathers made certain of that though many in government have tried to exert authority in various ways over the years. As with any club or organization thsese people from Congress may belong to, those organizations have bylaws to be adhered to and payment of dues, violate either and they could be ousted. In this case the Church has its bylaws, call it dogma or articles of faith which members declare they believe when reciting the creeds, like the Pledge of Allegiance, with the possibility of peril to their souls. Ther are times when the clergy are duty bound to discipline those who err in the Faith, such a time is now.