In an interview discussing his recent admonition of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco emphasized the need for Catholics to recover the sense of worthiness to receive Holy Communion.
“Catholics no longer understand the idea of worthiness to receive Communion. It’s just seen as a sort of a token gesture of welcome and belonging,” Cordileone told EWTN Pro-Life Weekly in an interview that aired on Thursday night [Jan. 28].
The archbishop was addressing the topic of denial of Holy Communion to someone “for the sake of their soul.” He said that Catholics must first understand the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist in order to grasp the significance of the denial of Holy Communion to a public figure.
“For that kind of action [denial of Communion] to make sense to a lot of people, we need to reclaim this sense of what it means to receive [Communion],” Cordileone said, pointing to a lack of belief in the Real Presence of the Eucharist among Catholics.
“What are you really saying when you receive Communion? To me, it goes hand-in-hand with this decline in the belief of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist,” he said.
In that statement, Cordileone had said that “No Catholic in good conscience can favor abortion,” referring to Pelosi’s public support in Congress for legal abortion.
Pelosi, on a Jan. 18 podcast with former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, had referred to the issue of abortion as “a woman’s right to choose” and said that Catholics should “love contraception” for reducing the abortion rate.
In response, Cordileone said that Pelosi “does not speak for the Catholic Church,” and that her phrase “right to choose” to describe legal abortion “is a smokescreen for perpetuating an entire [abortion] industry that profits from one of the most heinous evils imaginable….”
On EWTN Pro-Life Weekly, Cordileone emphasized that worthiness to receive Holy Communion is a much broader problem among Catholics than just Catholic politicians who contradict Church teaching.
“We have a bigger problem too, in that so many Catholics don’t even understand the concept of worthiness to receive Communion, right? To be in the state of grace,” he said. “And before Covid, I often questioned how many people just nonchalantly go up to receive Communion when they’re really not supposed to be….”
The above comes from a Jan 27 story on the site of the Catholic News Agency.
Pelosi has said she is Catholic. When has she said she is an authorized spokesperson for the Catholic Church? As to receiving Eucharist, one must be in a state of grace. In my humble opinion, only God knows that for certain.
It’s Ms. Pelosi’s public advocacy for and promotion (including funding) of killing innocent babies, for example, that create the situation. Like all of us, she will stand before God. If she didn’t claim to be a good Catholic and present herself for/demand Holy Communion, her bishop would not have had to address her.
Do you believe a Catholic Nazi officer at an extermination camp, ordering the deaths of thousands, could have been “in a state of grace?”
In 1962, when the archbishop of New Orleans excommunicated three racists, was he wrong?
As you said, “only God knows for certain.”
We do not treat the precious Body and Blood of Our Lord as something to be distributed to whoever wants it.
“Created the situation”. What situation exactly?She never once claimed to speak for the Catholic Church.
Anonymous, The situation of her bishop addressing her publicly. She has claimed she is a “good Catholic mother and grandmother” and that she studied Church teaching, including the Church Fathers, and that’s why she is pro-abortion. You are likely technically correct, I don’t know that she ever claimed to speak for the Catholic Church. She has, however, on numerous occasions, publicly stated her positions as “Catholic.” She is the one who repeatedly and publicly makes her “Catholic” faith an issue.
Some Catholics quietly support abortion and you don’t hear their bishops speaking out, do you?
“Let me call attention to my Catholic faith for political purposes, but I’m a victim if my bishop says anything about me.”
She speaks as a Catholic and she has enormous influence.
You’re not serious are you? Of course, she created the situation by publicly receiving the Body of Christ when she believes in killing the image and likeness of God in those innocent children. And by prohibiting her from receiving and preventing her from committing a greater sin it could save her soul.
Mike M, Pelosi as a matter of policy and belief supports the murder of the unborn.
Thanks Deacon Craig for explaining it to Mike.
There is very little respect today, for God and the Church. And also, in the post-Conciliar era, Church leaders have ended worldwide religious training in the Catechism, and requirements for all clergy and laymen to adhere to the Catholic Faith and Morals. Church discipline has been replaced by “freedom of individual conscience.” The Mass and Sacraments have also been changed in many ways, shortened, translated into the vernacular languages, and proper solemnity, reverence, awe, piety, and humility before the holiness of God, has been lost. The earthly glories of “being human,” with “human weakness and flaws,” have replaced seeking the sublime holiness of God in Heaven. The Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity is often presented as our mere “brother,” a fellow “chum.” He is not viewed as fully God, far above and beyond our poor human state — with Divine Love as well as gentle correction for His earthly children. The Church opened her doors and windows to worldliness and secularism, and the “Smoke of Satan” (as Pope St. Paul VI said) immediately blew in. And people today, do not view themselves humbly as “children of the Most High God—- with responsibilities to Him in their daily lives– but as independent, fully-capable modern “consumers,” shopping for what they want in religion. Many feel they do not need a God to worship, nor “tell them what to do” –and live by their own ideas and desires. What we need to correct this poor situation, is good Church leadership, coming from Rome.
You’re the bishop. Teach the Real Presence. Teach worthiness to receive Communion.
When I attend the Spanish language Mass, over half the people do not go to Communion. English speaking Mass, less than a dozen remain in their seats.
The Catholic Catechism states very well the conditions for a Catholic to be in a state of grace. We have a big responsibility to live and to die in a state of grace– and to avoid sin, and quickly repent, if we err. Only God knows for sure, but we do have a great deal of clarity on this subject, with our Catechism. Whether or not a soul is in a state of grace– or in a state of sin– is an objective matter, not emotional and subjective. It is very important to be in a state of grace to worthily receive Holy Communion.
Could you please give the paragraph number for that? Or if you are using a different catechism, a citation?
I could really use it right now.
1415 Anyone who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace. Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance.
Thank you.
Anonymous, try reading the section on the “Sacrament of the Eucharist,” which starts on p. 368 of our 1994 Catechism. On p. 395, No. 1415, you will find the information about the importance of always receiving Holy Communion in a state of grace, and to refrain from the Sacrament if you have committed a mortal sin, and go to Confession. Better to read all you can, and maybe go to an adult program at your parish, where the Faith is taught, and ask questions there, too, if needed. Or else, I am sure that a good priest can help you. It is important for us to know also, what terms like “a state of grace” and “mortal sin” mean. Christ is truly present, in the Eucharistic! A great and holy Gift to us, the very g
Bless you, Anonymous! Christ is truly present in the Sacrament of Holy Communion– a tremendous Gift to us! It should never be abused, as our scandalously “bad Catholic” politicians do! Try reading the whole section on “The Sacrament of the Eucharist” which starts on p. 368 of our 1994 “Catechism. You will find the needed information in No. #1415, on p. 395. Also, you might ask a good priest to explain all of this to you, and explain more about the terms “state of grace,” and “mortal sin.”
Anonymous— Sorry, my computer goofed! Please read my second try, on Feb. 1 at 6:15 pm! Don’t know why on earth ny “computer-goofed-up” post of “Anon.eucharist” (mis-titled moniker!) got printed! Big error! Sorry!
I don’t understand this notion that we can become worthy, by some notion of our own, to receive the body and blood. We aren’t even worthy to enter under his roof. It is HIS word that heals my soul. “Lord I am not worthy even to enter under your roof, yet only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” And if I am not worthy to be present then how can i ever hope to be worthy to receive? Isn’t the answer in my question? It is HIS WORD , spoken and proclaimed that makes me worthy, not what I say. Or what Pelosi says. Or what the Democratic platform says.
There are requirements for Catholics to be able to receive Holy Communion. When we talk about the worthiness of Catholics to receive communion we mean:
They must be in a state of grace. You should not approach to receive Communion if you are aware of having committed a serious sin.
You must have confessed any grave sins.
You must believe that the Eucharist is actually Jesus Christ with nothing of the bread and wine remaining although the outward characteristics have not changed. You must believe that it is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
You must have obeyed the requirement to fast for 1 hour before receiving Communion.
You must not be under a penalty which prohibits one from receiving.
Even following those requirements does not make one worthy. Sorry. That’s a complete misread of the notion of worthiness.
Who said that would make you worthy?
These are the Church’s reqquirment in order to recieve worthily. You don’t get to make up your own rules.
We know we arent worthy but Christ in His mercy and kindness comes down form heaven and gives himself to us.
Should I cite the catechism for you?
Are you not understanding that there are two concepts of worthiness?
No one is worthy of Jesus. That is why those in a state of grace say the prayer asking God to make our souls ready to receive.
But there are those not in a state of grace or who have not fasted, etc. that are not to receive
An Old Testament prefigurement: “But if anyone who is unclean eats any meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the Lord, they must be cut off from their people. Anyone who touches something unclean—whether human uncleanness or an unclean animal or any unclean creature that moves along the ground[a]—and then eats any of the meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the Lord must be cut off from their people.” Leviticus 7:20-21
Eating at worship has always had some type of preparation and what we now call being in a state of grace.
It was never, “Come one, call all, disregard the Commandments, yet, come and eat!”
The Catholic Church has one teaching on abortion: “Thou shalt not murder” …i.e. God’s 5th commandment.
Pope Nancy doesn’t support the Catholic Church PUBLICLY. Pray for her and all others that promote their own church. As the Archbishop says Catholics have lost the meaning and respect for Jesus in Communion. God have mercy on all of us
Within the Catholic Church there is canon law in this case states that a person of influence who disagrees with the teachings of the church publicly is automatically self excommunicated this is where Nancy Pelosi is and Joe Biden is because they are national figures that people follow there is no excuse for anyone to think these two people among others are Catholic in the first place and entitled to receive the sacraments in the second place.
Bishops speak for the Church and Priests speak for Bishops. Bishops and priests are men, are they not? So how is it that a woman speaks her mind she is somehow speaking for the Church. Can a woman Such as she is be ordained in such as a way to be enabled to speak for the church? If she has not been so ordained, and you say she cannot be ordained, then why bother at all what she says? By your own definition, she cannot speak for the Church.
Confused– the Church does not belong to any human beings, not even to the Pope. The Church belongs to Christ! He speaks, leads, guides, and sanctifies us, and prepares us for Eternal Life in Heaven, through His holy Church, which He left on earth. His ordained clerics and the Pope do His work for Him, on earth.
Anon. you said it more beautifully than I did thank you. So I ask again, why would anyone assume that The Woman Nancy Pelosi has any capacity to speak for the Church? She is merely A Woman!
Confused– no, you forget, Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s gender of “woman” has nothing to do with her Catholic Faith. And Pres. Joe Biden’s gender of “man” likewise, has nothing to do with his Catholic Faith. Both Pelosi and Biden are scandalous, “bad Catholics,” in need of repentance of sin.
The presumption that Catholics are ignorant of the need to receive the sacred Body and Blood of Christ worthily, i.e., to be in a “state of grace” and that they must adhere to litmus tests of worthiness is troubling. If, as Catholics, we believe the profound holy grace and gift of the Eucharist was established on Holy Thursday we might do well to learn from that first liturgy. Jesus shared His Eucharistic Presence with a very shaky group of disciples. Of the Apostles one would betray Him, one would deny Him, all except one would flee His Passion. Yet He washed all their feet. He broke the bread and shared the cup with them all. Including Peter. Including even Judas. This, to me does not teach an abuse of The Holy. To me it is a lesson of the power of grace in the Eucharist. Jesus could see beyond the weak, unformed understanding, conscious, faith of them all and still. offer Himself. He even could know the utter betrayal of Judas and still offer a final opportunity of grace. I sense we are inclined to put more faith in the less than perfect faith of some and judge them unworthy than we are to put our faith in Christ to fulfill the prayer we all utter prior to Communion: “Lord I am not worthy that Your should enter under my roof. But only say the Word and my soul shal be made whole.”.
As a very shaky disciple indeed, I thank you for your amazing reminder of the amazing grace that we are given in Eucharist.
YFC correction: grace is offered, most of the world rejects it, Christ never forces it on us.
Harry Martin– the idea of “worthiness” means that you have respect for God, and receive Christ in Holy Communion with proper preparation and reverence. Not sacrilegiously– not just “any old thing”– reverence and respect are the problem. You must be a Catholic who accepts Catholic teaching, and lives in union with Christ, and is eligible for the Sacraments, observes the Eucharistic Fast, and is in a state of grace, carefully prepared, with a prayerful examination of conscience. Otherwise, respect Jesus Christ— and refrain from reception of the Eucharist. Also, please read what St. Paul has to say, particularly in I Corinthians 11:23-32. When a person receives Holy Communion unworthily, they bring condemnation upon themselves– it is a grave sacrilege. When we do not respect Christ, and make sacrilegious Communions, we bring spiritual death and eventually, sickness, disease, and death to our bodies as well as to our souls, upon ourselves. Reception of Catholic Sacraments is a privilege– not a “right.” Ask your priest all about this.
New Leftist on the site and YFC once again do what leftists do best… they presume God’s mercy…
bohemond correction: I am not a leftist. I am a center left moderate Democrat. Not everyone who is to your left is a leftist. Got that?
Anyone who supports the Democrat Party is a leftist. Got that? Center-left moderate? Hah! No such thing anymore.
” I am a center left moderate Democrat.” this exist only in the mind of someone who embraces San Francisco morality….. the last Center left moderate democrat was JFK. Got it?
And his administration sold out President Diem of Viet Nam since they owed the anti-Catholic Liberal Party in NY for their votes.
From “The Antichrist” by Fr. Vincent Micheli, page 144: “While Diem, the faithful Catholic, was defeating the communists in his country, the communists started the political ploy of burning Buddhists and the leftist press in America started the false propaganda that Diem was behind it all. It was at this point that the Liberals made their demand to President Kennedy that Diem must go.” (to be continued).
(Continued) “The smear campaign accusing Diem of ordering the burnings was made despite the fact that Diem had some seventeen Buddhists in his government and a UN investigating committee found no evidence of governmental persecution of Buddhists.”
According to the book the Kennedy administration used the fading Republican Henry Cabot Lodge to set up the coup, so he could be blamed for it. I think President Nixon wanted to find out if President Kennedy actually knew that President Diem was going to be killed — perhaps not.
The Sacrament of Holy Communion belongs to God, not to us. It exists apart from how we think or feel about It. Subjective, loving feelings, or “consolations of God,” are very nice– but have nothing to do with Reality, with God, and real spiritual development. They are just very nice, but passing feelings. The Saints have always cautioned us to seek the “God of consolations”– not the “consolations of God.”The best sign of a true spiritual life, is daily obedience to God, sincerely and devoutly leading a good life, regardless of subjective, lovely feelings, or consolations, gifts from God. A life of Christ-like virtue requires lots of strength, dedication, and maturity. In the post-Conciliar years, much of this has sadly been forgotten.
If all the “Anonymous” and “Anon” posters would use other noms de plume, we’d have an easier time reading and responding to comments! Also, dear CCD editors, please consider adding up/down arrows for voting. Thanks.
Silent — if you prefer “silent observing,” why not try posting in an “anonymous” way?? — it leaves you free to express your views, silently and– anonymously! Too much religious discrimination, anti-Catholic bigotry, as well as Satan-inspired internet bullying, in the world of today…