We have watched Cardinal George in Chicago and Cardinal McCarrick in Washington D.C. rightfully deny Holy Communion to manifest sodomites wearing Rainbow sashes. However, the Cardinals have said that they will not deny Holy Communion to manifest pro-abortion politicians.1
Is not murder just as evil as lust in the eyes of God?2
Code of Canon Law c. 915 requires that all those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sins are not to be admitted to Holy Communion. So, why deny public gays but not public pro-abortion politicians?3
Frances Kissling, President of the excommunicated group 'Catholics for a Free Choice' is pleased that most American Bishops have taken her pro-abortion side that murder is not a grave sin.4
"It would seem that the most interesting aspect of the current debate is the tacit admission by many bishops that to be pro choice on the legality of abortion is neither a grave sin nor a cause for denying Communion. Perhaps there is some hope for the church after all," said Kissling.5
Dear Cardinals, with all due respect, just whose side are you on?
In addition to this disturbing paradox, there are several other evils ensuing alongside the permitting of sacrilegious reception of the Eucharist.
Firstly, when the ministers of the Eucharis6 admit to Holy Communion those who are engaged in conduct that is gravely, manifestly and obstinately sinful, they are surely obscuring and possibly destroying the sacred 'sign of the Eucharist.' Here is why this is a most serious matter.
The 'sacred invisible reality' exists in Holy Communion, specifically Our Lord Jesus Christ's body, blood, soul and divinity. However, there is also an 'appearance' of the Eucharist. I am referring to the significance, or the meaning, or the 'sign of the Eucharist.'7
The Church teaches that the Eucharist is a proclamation of the Kingdom of God.8
When the minister of the Eucharist gives Holy Communion to a person in the state of grace, he proclaims the kingdom of God. This is because the Eucharist is a sign of the unity of the Church with Jesus Christ in faith and morals.9
However, when the minister of the Eucharist gives Holy Communion to a manifest public sinner, such as publicly known pro-abortion politicians or anyone who publicly supports same sex marriages, the minister is cooperating in fracturing the unity of the Church, the 'sign of the Eucharist' by which the Church proclaims the kingdom of God.
In doing this, the minister is actively participating in evil.10
He does this by cooperating with those who are silencing the proclamation of the kingdom of God11 and proclaiming the kingdom of the world, a world that embraces murder and lust.
This cooperation in evil is itself undoubtedly a grave sin.12
Secondly, these Cardinals also need to be careful that they are not violating a civil law in this matter.
When they give Holy Communion to well known pro-abortion politicians but not to explicit 'gays,' are they not discriminating against 'gays?' Cannot this lead to a charge of denial of civil rights and the dropping of the tax-exempt status of the Church?
Is it not better to refuse all public sinners, as c. 915 requires? At least civil society cannot condemn the Church for discriminating or showing favoritism among grave, public sinners.
Thirdly, just a short while ago, some priests refused to give Holy Communion to Catholics who were explicitly adoring the Blessed Sacrament by genuflecting before receiving Holy Communion or kneeling to receive Holy Communion. Hardly a peep was heard from Cardinals and bishops when this happened.13
No one seemed concerned that priests were refusing to give Holy Communion to people who were explicitly adoring Jesus Christ before receiving Him.
Yet, when the Church law instructs clergy to refuse Holy Communion to known pro-abortion politicians or sodomite activists supporting same sex marriages (this is not an exhaustive list of offenders), some Cardinals and bishops rush to the defense of these manifest sinners.
Something strange is happening here!
In conclusion, it does not matter whether the sin is sodomy, heterodoxy, abortion, fornication, contraception, divorce and remarriage, drug trafficking, mafia activities or something else. If the person's identification is manifest, obstinate and persistent in grave sin, they cannot be given the Eucharist.14
Powerful groups will continue to target the Eucharist until all diocesan bishops enforce Canon Law c. 915 consistently in every diocese, as did two bishops, canon lawyer Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, D.D., J.C.D.,15and Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz, D.D., S.T.D.16
Inconsistency among the conference of bishops regarding this important law exhibits a weakening of the office of the bishop. A Bishop, as 'Priest, Prophet, and King,' is to govern and correct without regard for socially acceptable opinions and prevailing political popularities.
1 The Church consistently teaches that Catholics who are in the state of grave sin should not receive Holy Communion, for this itself is a grave sin and a sign of grave contradiction: CCC 1385, 1415; Code of Canon Law c.915; 1 Cor.11: 27-29, [Back]
2 Pope John Paul II, 'Evangelium vitae,' n.73; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 'Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons,' n. 10. [Back]
3 Ref. "Living the Gospel of Life," n. 32, 1998 National Conference of Catholic Bishops. [Back]
4 Kissling's statement is seriously in error: "John Paul II, continuing the constant teachings of the Church, has reiterated many times that those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a grave and clear obligation to oppose any law that attacks human life. For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them," Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith's 'Doctrinal Note' n.4: cf. JPII, 'Evangelium vitae' n.73. [Back]
5 Newsday.com, "Hope for church," by Frances Kissling, 6/3/04, letter to the editor. [Back]
6 Congregation for the Divine Worship, Cd. Arinze, April 23, 2004, "The only minister who can confect the Sacrament of the Eucharist 'in persona Christi' is a validly ordained Priest. Hence, the name 'minister of the Eucharist' belongs properly to the Priest alone. Moreover, also by reason of their sacred Ordination, the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are the Bishop, the Priest and the Deacon," 'Redemptionis Sacramentum,' n.154. [Back]
7 Pope John Paul II, 4/17/2003, 'Ecclesia de Eucharistia,' nos. 10, 22, 24, 48, 55, 56,58, 62; Pope Paul VI, Encyclical Letter 'Mysterium fidei,' 9/3/65: AAS 57 (1965), 771. [Back]
8 John 6:51, 54, 58; Pope John Paul II, General Audience, 10/25/00, "Eucharist: Pledge of Future Glory." [Back]
9 Summa Theologiae III, q.79, 2, ad I; 1 John, 3:2; 1 Kings 19:1-8; [Back]
10 St. Thomas Aquinas answers, "A distinction must be made among sinners; some are secret; some are notorious, either from evidence of the fact, as public usurers, or public robbers or from being denounced as evil men by some ecclesiastical or civil tribunal. Therefore, Holy Communion ought not to be given to open sinners when they ask for it," Summa Theologiae, III:q 80:art 6. [Back]
11 'Sacrosanctum concilium,' n. 8; see 'Gaudium et Spes,' n. 38. [Back]
12 Pope Paul VI, 'Humanae vitae,' n.14; St. Paul to the Romans, 3:8; CCC n.1755. [Back]
13 Congregation for Divine Worship, 2/26/03, responding to question, "Can the faithful legitimately receive Holy Communion kneeling?" Prot.N.47/03/L: answer, "Yes. The faithful should not be imposed upon nor accused of disobedience and of acting illicitly when they kneel to receive Holy Communion." [Back]
14 Code of Canon Law, c.915: "Those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to Holy Communion." [Back]
15 The highest degree of education in Canon Law is the J.C.D. (Juris Canonis Doctor, Doctor of Canon Law). [Back]
16 Bishop Bruskewitz of Lincoln, NE in May 15, l996 issued a successful diocesan synodal law, still enforced today, which carries an automatic penalty of excommunication. On April 6, 2004, Bishop Bruskewitz stated his diocese would refuse Holy Communion to any manifest, obstinate, persistent sinner, ref. C.915, "We agree completely with Archbishop Burke in the action he has taken and we would take the same action in the diocese of Lincoln, regardless of which diocese the manifest sinners are from." [Back]