168-55 margin
Meeting virtually for their annual spring general assembly, the U.S. bishops voted on Thursday to begin drafting “a formal statement on the meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the Church.” The vote took place after extensive and, at times, spirited debate on Wednesday and Thursday, with some bishops opposing the move to begin drafting the document.
The measure passed by a vote of 168 to 55, with six abstentions. A simple majority was required for passage of the action item. The U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee will now lead the process of drafting the document, with input from other conference committees. A draft of the document could be ready to be debated, amended, and voted on by the bishops at their November meeting – which is currently planned to be held in-person in Baltimore, Maryland.
The above comes from a June 18 story on the site of the Catholic News Agency.
Cupich bishops try to filibuster
The agenda eventually passed, after 59% of voting bishops struck down a motion that would have allowed indefinite debate Thursday over the drafting of a document on the Eucharist, which would address, in some form, the question of whether Catholic politicians who support legal protection or state funding for abortion should receive the Eucharist. After that motion was defeated, the agenda in its entirety was passed with support from 86% of voting bishops.
Supporters of the proposed amendment said it was important that all bishops be heard, while critics said the amendment was a “delaying tactic” that amounted to passing a “filibuster” provision for a document that has been controversial among the bishops since at least January.
It was Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis who proposed from the meeting’s virtual “floor” that unlimited time be allocated to the bishops’ Thursday discussion on whether to commission the USCCB’s doctrinal committee to draft a catechetical document on the Eucharist, which would include a section on “Eucharistic coherence.” Rozanski’s motion was seconded by Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark.
Both Rozanski and Tobin were signatories of a May 13 letter to USCCB president Archbishop Jose Gomez which had called for the discussion of the document to be dropped from the meeting agenda altogether.
Reading from a prepared text Wednesday, Rozanski told the bishops that “as we prepare to discuss the weighty matter of the Communion document that will be presented by the doctrinal committee” the bishops are “keenly aware that we are looking for consensus.”
“So, I would ask that at this meeting we allow each bishop to speak on this important topic.”
The subject of a teaching document on the Eucharist is so important, and “the implications so far reaching,” Rozanski said, “that putting limits on the discussion will not help us or our people.”
There followed a nearly hour-long debate among the bishops about the proposal.
More than 15 bishops spoke during the discussion, with Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop John Wester, and Bishops Joe Tyson, John Stowe, Robert Coerver, and Shawn McKinght speaking in favor of the motion. All six were signatories to the May 13 letter urging that the prospect of the document be dropped from the June meeting agenda entirely.
The bishops who spoke in favor of the motion emphasized the importance of collegial, in-person discussion and broad consultation, and claimed their view was supported by a May 7 letter from Cardinal Luis Ladaria, who urged the U.S. bishops to seek consensus among themselves in affirmation of Catholic doctrine.
Bishops who spoke critically of the measure, among them Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archbishops Joseph Kurtz, Paul Coakley, Alexander Sample, Joseph Naumann, William Lori, and Salvatore Cordileone, along with Bishops Michael Olson, Kevin Rhoades, and Michael Burbidge noted the motion would introduce an effective filibuster on the vote to allow the doctrinal committee to produce a draft document.
The above comes from a June 16 story on The Pillar.
Cupich taking it on the chin is such wonderful news
Pray these bishops will defend Holy Communion. Abortion defenders are not in a state of grace, they eat and drink their own damnation.
These bishops are in need of prayer, some for conversion to the Catholic faith, some for the strength to defend it.
President Biden’s dog died. Let’s show some respect. Looking forward to any announcement about services or a memorial. It’s always sad when a member of the family dies. Champ had been part of the Biden family for 13 years.
So one dog’s life is worth more than than children’s lives? Even though I treat animals well, one child’s life is worth more to me. He will get no sympathy from me. Your comment shows what your prioities are.
He paid tribute to a dog but never once to the millions of aborted babies killed with his blessing.
What’s wrong with loving and missing your dog?
Doggies don’t believe in abortion, and neither do kitties. Neither doggies nor kitties are perverts who commit “LGBT” sex pervert acts. They are loving, good, and innocent creatures! Doggie moms and kittie moms faithfully love, nurture, and care for their litters, and their puppiess and kittens get lovingly adopted down at the SPCA.
But humans are not always good moms– some evilly insist on a life of sinful promiscuity, and refuse to carry their babies for a short 9-month span, then place the adorable babies for adoption to loving homes– and go on with their lives. These selfish human baby killers and their abortionists should go to jail for a very long time. I bet Champ is in Doggie Heaven. He was a loving, cherished “Good Boy.” Don’t know where his human family on earth will end up, though.
I’m sure Champ is in dog heaven.
So what, his son Beau died too, and Biden breaks up over it all the time. Should we always cut him slack on every issue because of that? Maybe he is too emotionally unstable for his office.
Wishing him a happy Father’s Day today would be a nice gesture.
Because he did such a good job with Hunter?
I love aninals too, and was sorry to hear that Champ passed away. Aren’t German Shepherds wonderful dogs? Biden also has suffered the painful losses of his first wife, and two children. We should have sympathy and kindness to Pres. Biden, for those painful tragedies.
But aside from that, he must obey the teachings of his Church. Not always an easy thing to do– but you have to do it.
Will probably be counted as a Covid death.
Thanks Hymie for the laugh!
Anonymous, this was sarcasm at the report of this dogs death ?, if so I got it , sarcasm /parody does not always translate in print.
“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…”
Anyone watching it?
Do the bishops really care about their responsibility to save the poor, helpless unborn children, slaughtered by Abortionists? Do they care about the importance of respect for Christ, and always receiving Him worthily in Holy Communion? Do they care to do their jobs correctly, to admonish sinners making wrongful, sacrilegious Communions? They are shameful! Why can’t they simply abide by the dictates of Canon 915?
Why are they so unwilling to follow their own Canon Law and Catechism, and carry out their ecclesial duties responsibly? They do not need a USCCB document for all to “agree on and follow.” Same thing for all bishops’ conferences in all countries. All they need, is for all to obediently follow the teachings of the Catholic Church, worldwide, led by the Pope and his prelates in the Vatican– no excuses, no exceptions.
Most of their fathers and grandfathers in secular jobs, worked hard, were honest and trustworthy, did their jobs correctly and responsibly– and lived their Catholic Faith correctly and responsibly, too! With good Moral Consciences– and respect for God. That thought always comes to me, with every episcopal ordination.
Look, if you know anything about administrators, they love to have meetings and issue statements because it gives the appearance of doing something without doing anything meaningful. They look like leaders making “hard choices” or “compromising” or “being thoughtful” but they don’t have to actually do anything and they get to avoid doing something tough that will make people hate them.
Agree Anonymous (June 19 @1:24 pm) and Biden and all the baby killing politicians know that. Did you hear what Biden said…Catholic Bishops won’t vote to deny him Holy Communion and Congressman Ted Lieu actually threatened them…I dare you (the Catholic Bishops) to deny me Holy Communion. If they don’t act now I’m through with them, not one more cent although I only give to my parish already, never anything to do with the Bishops. They need to hear from us that we won’t accept anything but yes, meeting with them first but then if they fail to change refuse to give them Communion. They must act now.
Why put down this effort? Is it just knee jerk to always trash the Bishops in general, as a if the whole body is corrupt, never taking note of those Bishops who uphold Church teaching? The Bishops DO need to agree on a statement on Eucharistic coherence for promulgation to the faithful. A large percentage of Catholics catechized in the 70’s do not know what the Eucharist is, and many catechized before Vat II practice devout-looking but rote Sunday only Catholicism. I think we desperately need this statement and a renewal of teaching and I am glad that 0ver 70 percent of our Bishops have agreed to refresh Eucharistic teaching through a statement which all dioceses should promulgate at their Sunday masses. This is a step forward. Why all the complaints.
In the first Covid relief bill, Trump and the republicans gave churches, including the Catholic Church, millions of dollars in relief aid. The republicans claim Biden didn’t really win the election. The Bishops, most of whom are republicans, are now going to assert Biden is not really a Catholic. They are aiding the republicans in trying to weaken Biden’s leadership during his presidency. The Bishops are doing Trump’s biding because they remember who gave them the millions from the federal treasury.
What happens to all those devoted Catholics who believe that a woman has the right to choose and to those families that are stressed with teenage pregnancies and commitment of incest. Do you deny Gods love to those people? Do you deny communion to the parents of gay children because of who they are. They love god’s children too. You will lose these faithful.
There are different levels of culpability, but no one is safe when we try to play God and decide which innocent person should live and which should be killed.
Get it straight – They walk away themselves, God’s love for them never leaves, they choose to leave Him.
It’s a lie that parents of gay children can’t receive communion. If they are in a state of grace, they should receive, if not, then no.
A devoted Catholic and believe in the choice to kill another human being? You’re very confused to say the least. As for parents of gay children, love the sinner but hate the sin. If they do that there is no problem. But if they embrace the sin of sodomy they should refrain from receiving of course.
A devoted Catholic never believes that a woman has a right to choose to kill a child. Never. No circumstances, no age, no anxiety, no stress ever makes abortion permissible. If someone is telling you that it is ok because…..they are lying to you. Never kill your child, whether born or unborn.
Incest is never permissible. Victims of incest need to tell. Perpetrators of incest need to get some help. Perps cannot receive communion until they have repented and received absolution in sacramental confession..
From those of us old enough to remember when girls got married and had babies when they were teenagers, it is not the worst thing in the world. After the baby is born, a lot of the stress goes away. It is a huge responsibility and God bless all the families who help their teenagers navigate this.
Gay Catholics can receive Communion as long as they have not committed grave sin.
Parents of gay children may receive communion under all the circumstances any Catholic can, even if their children leave the Church or marry in a civil ceremony just like parents of any child. Unless, of course, they themselves have committed a grave sin.
It is really very simple. We are not talking about just the Eucharist we are talking about “a person in the state of serious sin, mortal, cannot and must not receive ANY sacrament”. IT IS A SACRILEGE. Supporting the heinous crime of murdering our own offspring by abortion is a most serious sin. Canon law states all this. Unfortunately we have Bishops that are not Catholic.
Archbishop Cordileone has been in “dialogue” with Nancy Pilosi for 9 years. Does he really need another document to tell her not to present herself for Holy Communion and that all priests in the archdiocese to refuse her Holy Communion if she insists on presenting herself? Could AbC simply say “enough is enough” and execute Code of Canon Law 915 (…those Catholics who obstinately persist in manifesting grave sin, are not to be admitted to Holy Communion) to Pelosi?
The USCCB first needs to catechize the bishops on grave sin, the Real Presence…
You’re absolutely right Peggy. Enough is enough. These Bishops need to step down or enforce the laws of our Church. The pro-abortion politicians are making a mockery out of them.
Robert Zimmerman: many Bishops are guilty of mortal sins. Consider the manner in which the Bishops handled the sexual abuse crisis. What about the hundreds of children murdered in Catholic orphanages (in Ireland and Canada) and the Bishops were silent? In Ireland, these murdered children were buried in a septic tank! If President Biden is deemed not fit to receive Holy Communion, than neither are many priests and Bishops!
Fred Don’t believe everything you read from the “fake news”. Were there abuses of course, mostly homosexual abuses in our country. As for Ireland the number which was put out first were hundreds but now the real story is something like this:: https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2014/06/24/the-real-scandal-behind-the-tuam-home-for-unwed-mothers/
I do agree though that many Priests and Bishops who covered-up the homosexual abuse scandal should not be permitted to receive Holy Communion. But this is about pro-abortion Biden and his committing a sacrilege by receiving while promoting child killing.
From today’s Gospel. Mt 7:1-5
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’
while the wooden beam is in your eye?
You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”
Many of the same people who weaponize that passage are very quick to judge their enemies as “racist”.
Anonymous 3:57
What is your point??