Apparently the same Bishop that denied Kerry communion has pledged to do so with Guliani. I find that rather interesting and this can't be good news for the good Mayor - his three marriages and shaky relationship with the Christian Right isn't going to be enhanced by this story. So, my question to the two former alter boys (in so many ways): is this allowed? I mean to say, has the Pope, any modern Pope, ever denied communion to a political figure due to their public stance on a moral issue? Read the article in the link to the right under "Points Of Interest This Week"; he was asked if the same could be done with those elected officials that approve of the death penalty or preemptive war. It would seem that the "right" has a Catholic Priest counter to the Father in California whom provides sanctuary to illegal aliens. What was that Jambo said about the American Catholic Church ... something about swimming in muddied waters?
FR
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The question, can a bishop deny communion to anyone? The answer: Yes. Not only a bishop, but a priest can say no, but more important for Gulliani, Archbishop Burke of St. Louis said no, so it'll be hard for ANY priest in that archdioses to administer the sacrament.
Archbishop Burke isn't alone. Archbishop Dolan of Milwaukee and our own Archbishop Lipscombe of Mobile have said the same thing. I'm sure if I dig I can find more. Here's another one... Pres. Clinton received communion in a Catholic service in DC once in the mid-nineties and the Archbishop of Baltimore, his name at the time escapes me, but he's the prelate for North America, had a cow.
The denial of communion was for the persistant state of sin, in the case of supporting abortion. It's been in the books since Peter, specifying abortion since Humanae Vitae in the early seventies. And common sense will tell you, if you support abortion, it's kind of hard to be Catholic. Culture of death vs. culture of life... Not a lot of gray area there.
Now, in response to the second part, the Catholic priests giving sanctuary to illegal aliens, I don't know about that. I do know about Catholic priests giving water and shelter to illegals who may otherwise die of exposure and dehydration. One would be a piss poor Catholic priest if one didn't do that. As for furthering their illegal journey into America, I have seen no proof that goes on. Kind of like a Mexican Underground railroad? No proof. None that I have seen, okay?
No, no. I wasn't insinuating a Harriet Tubman style South to North of the border transway. I haven't heard of that either. And I wasn't even talking about food and water being offered to people at the door step. I'll have to look it up now but the broadstrokes were that a Bishop was telling the priests under him (in whatever way the hierarchy is set up - I simply don't know) not to colaberate with the efforts of ICE. He said there was a higher law (or something to that effect). I'll get the story. And by the way, I understand that for centuries churches have been universaly recognized as "sanctuaries." There was a woman recently who's been in one a year (here in the US) trying to avoid deportation. But this was a mandate given out by a local church official not to obey the immigration law. I'll look for both stories. By the way, what was the deal with last night?
FR
And let me add this question while we're at it. As was asked in the article - can a person be denied communion if they openly or via their vote, support the death penalty? That and the support of preemptive war was asked of Archbishop Burke and they reported his answer to be, "that's a little more complicated." Certainly preemptive war is, but the death penalty?
FR
Alright, I got it. It was Los Angelas Cardinal Mahony. He was the one also tied with some of the priest sex scandal, a questionable Clinton pardon, and more recently (as in last year) immigration. I've got two links, painting two VERY different pictures of the man. I can say this, i have read some of his quotes and nothing chaps my hyde more than when pro-amnesty advocates call my stance "anti-immigration." It's nothing of the sort, as I know you agree Jambo. Anyway, I'll put the two links under "points of Interest" on the right.
FR
By the way, the pro-amnesty view of Mahony via the Washington Post distorted what he actually did at the pulpit On Ash Wednsday 2006. He didn't just "attack" the immigration legislation that was then in the House of Rep - he in fact directed the priests under him to defy the law if it passed. THAT was what brought him the heat. People oppose legislation all the time - that's America. But he openly directed his priests to defy it if it passed.
Amazing isn't it? Read those two articles and one sees the guy as a pious immigrant advocate and the other as a left leaning Cardinal that normally looks on "natural law as pre-Vatican II relic."
FR
Your Mahony point as we discussed over the phone... The legislation required identification for charity, which of course Mahony told his priests to ignore had it passed. The bill didn't, Mahony got the heat but there's no way he could have denied charity to undocumented personel. Then it's not charity anymore.
But anyway...
Denying communion to death penalty advocates is not the same as there is no ban against capital punishment in Church law. So as anyone could see, a justly convicted person sentenced to a mercifully administered execution (i.e. not torture, like crucifixion or anything cruel and unusual) violates no Church law. You'll get a debate now, don't get me wrong, but it's not against Church law. Abortion is. No debate. No argument.
There is a question whether or not the receiving of communion is a matter of conscience or a matter of doctrine. (It is up to the individual to decide if he/she is in a state of grace to accept communion as opposed to the bishop denying it.) But denying it IS within the Bishop's authority, just like good old fashioned excommunication. And don't think of excommunication as banishment... More like a Church time-out. Excommunication is meant as the sternest wake-up call Catholics can get. Reinstatement is not just possible, it's encouraged.
Hope that helps.
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