In a recent article published in First Things, Archbishop Charles Chaput, the Archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia, provided valuable clarification on some foundational moral and doctrinal principles that are very much being called into question in our own time, namely, the extremely grave evil of abortion, the consistent teaching of the Catholic Church on worthiness to receive Holy Communion, and the responsibility of Catholics in public life.
In addition to the July 2004 memorandum of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion: General Principles) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church which he cites in his article, the U.S. bishops themselves reaffirmed these timeless teachings in their own pastoral letter of 2006, “‘Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper’: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist.”
I could not agree with Archbishop Chaput more when he says, “This is not a ‘political’ matter, and those who would describe it as such are either ignorant or willfully confusing the issue. This is a matter of bishops’ unique responsibility before the Lord for the integrity of the sacraments.” Especially compelling is the situation of Catholics who are prominent in public life, precisely because of the great influence they have on shaping the cultural attitudes and moral values of our society. It is a cause of no little scandal when such people profess to be observant Catholics while championing causes that directly violate the inherent dignity of human life, one of the fundamental natural truths integral to the core teachings of the Catholic faith.
I pray that Archbishop Chaput’s timely and thoughtful article will motivate a more candid and honest discussion and resolution of these issues among the Church’s pastors and lay Catholics who are prominent in public life in our country.
The above comes from a Dec. 14 story in Catholic San Francisco.
That’s good news. Let us pray that Archbishop Gomez, as president of the bishops’ conference, works with his brother bishops to speak with a unified voice clarifying Catholic teaching. Although bishops’ conferences don’t have authority as such, would Cardinal Gregory insist on giving the precious and holy Body and Blood of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ to a prominent and powerful politician who was actively promoting and funding the killing of innocent babies?
Cardinal Gregory has already confirmed that, yes, he will indeed do that. The bishops will divide into camps over this. There won’t be any unity. There isn’t unity. Some bishops put leftist politics above integrity of Catholic faith.
Let me also add: try to get Bishop McElroy to change his mind on this; he’s all-in for Biden as a partner. McElroy’s going to speak about climate change at the virtual RECongress in February. He couldn’t care less about Biden and Communion; he’s riding high that Orange Man won’t be in the White House anymore. And Archbishop Gomez? Hah! Not one Los Angeles RECongress workshop is going to discuss the Biden presidency or the abortion issue. Plenty of antiracism workshops and prayer services, however. One of the antiracism workshops even co-opts the prolife slogan “From Womb to Tomb” to be about racism, not prolife.
Once Joe Biden is elected, I intend to send a postcard every week. Not a mean one. An uplifting one. I don’t know yet what they will say because I want the Holy Spirit to say it, if He wants. Words of Scripture, quotes from saints.
Let us pray for his sanctification, his conversion.
What makes you think the Holy Spirit will tell you what to say?
The Bible
On October 13 of 1973, Our Lady of Akita revealed to a pious nun this impending crisis in the Church:
The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals and bishops against other bishops. … The Church will be full of those who accept compromises, and the devil will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.
Will Bishop Cordileone then refuse communion to Nancy Pelosi, and instruct his priests to do the same?
Good question. Maybe California Catholic Daily readers who live in the Archdiocese should ask him. And, then, let all of us know his reply.
I absolutely support telling Catholic leaders and politicians they cannot receive Holy Communion if they support abortion…and the death penalty.
One cannot be excommunicated, nor denied Communion for supporting the death penalty as the Bible and past Magisterial teaching considered it lawful for certain reasons. One can discourage it use, but it cannot be condemned as unbiblical or against past Magisterial teaching. Pope Francis certainly did not speak “Ex Cathedra” about it, nor could he do so as even Pope Benedict said that one can have a difference of opinion on the matter and not be excommunicated.
Anne TE: St Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have all been passionate, vocal critics of the death penalty and have advocated for the discontinuance of capital punishment. These popes recognize the unjust application (e.g. killing political opponents, religious minorities, etc.) of the death penalty in many countries (e.g. Russia) throughout the world. One cannot be a prolife Catholic and a supporter of the death penalty.
Wrong! Pope Benedict said one could have a difference of opinion, and no past pope ever declared it intrinsically evil. I did not vote for it one way or another, but it is not an intrinsic evil.
Fully prolife and support the Death Penalty smash liberalism
Cordileone is not the Ordinary in the place where the President-elect lives. Therefore, he has zero authority about Biden’s worthiness to commune. Not only that…..the decision about whether a communicant is worthy belongs entirely between the communicant and his Ordinary in private….not in the public sphere.
I should think that when a politician advocates and encourages serious sin in the public square as Bidden has done, then public repentance should be required. After all he has misled the public and put their everlasting souls in danger. Private sin is private and requires private repentance and public advocacy of sin is public and seems to require public repentance.
Anne TE: it is a good idea to remember that Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior, himself was the victim of an unjust application of capital punishment. I highly doubt Jesus is in favor of the death penalty in the modern world just as I think he is opposed to abortion and slavery.
So, there is such a thing as just and unjust application of the death penalty. Is there just and unjust slavery? Is there just and unjust abortion?
Good questions, Mark. The Good thief repented on the cross after saying he deserved what he got, and begged for mercy in the afterlife, whereas the bad thief did not. The Lord Jesus let them both suffer on their crosses. The one evidently to Eternal Life after serving his purgatory on earth, and the other it seems to Eternal Damnation
St. Therese of Lisieux prayed for the murderer who was executed, and he showed signs of repentance before he died by kissing the crucifix, but she never said it was unlawful to execute him.