[Apologetics] Illinois bishop upholds priest's decision to deny Communion to pro-abort Sen. Dick Durbin

[DianneD]

Art,
 
I had seen this and I only wish more bishops would support their priests in doing the same thing.  Thanks for making everyone aware of this article.
 
Dianne 


>________________________________
> From: Art Kelly <art.kelly at cox.net>
>To: apologetics at gathman.org 
>Sent: Monday, April 7, 2014 12:17 AM
>Subject: [Apologetics] Illinois bishop upholds priest's decision to deny Communion to pro-abort Sen. Dick Durbin
>  
>
>
> 
>Illinois bishop upholds priest’s decision to deny Communion to pro-abort 
Sen. Dick Durbin 
>by Patrick B. Craine 
>	* Thu Apr 03, 2014 14:10 EST 
>SPRINGFIELD, IL, April 3, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Bishop Thomas J. 
Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, known for his outspoken defense of the right 
to life and the natural family, has signaled his support for denying Communion 
to Catholic politicians who publicly endorse activities gravely contrary to the 
moral law. 
>The bishop wrote recently to a pro-life activist to affirm that he is 
upholding a diocesan priest’s decision to deny Communion to U.S. Sen. Dick 
Durbin, D-IL, who has a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned 
Parenthood.   
>Paprocki’s e-mail was reported Thursday 
by Catholic commentator Matt Abbott. 
>“Senator Durbin was informed several years ago by his pastor at Blessed 
Sacrament Parish here in Springfield that he was not permitted to receive Holy 
Communion per canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law,” Paprocki wrote. “My 
predecessor upheld that decision and it remains in effect. It is my 
understanding that the senator is complying with that decision here in the 
Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.” 
>Canon 915 states 
that those who are “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be 
admitted to Holy Communion.” 
>In placing the onus on ministers of Holy Communion, canon 915 is distinct 
from canon 916, which places the onus on the communicant to not approach for 
Communion if they are “conscious of grave sin.” 
>Canon 915 has been at the center of the dispute in recent years over how 
Church leaders should deal with the plethora of Catholic politicians who vote 
for pro-abortion and pro-homosexual legislation. 
>Some prelates argue that denying politicians Communion turns the Eucharist 
into a political “weapon.” Defenders of the canon, however, argue that it is an 
expression of charity by protecting the individual from taking part in sacrilege 
and protecting the faithful from scandal. 
>The clear position from the Vatican has been in favour of enforcing the 
canon. In 2004, as America’s bishops were debating whether to deny Communion to 
pro-abortion Catholic politicians, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then-head of the 
Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith, wrote a letter to the bishops exhorting 
them to do just that. 
>Cardinal Ratzinger wrote: 
>Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person’s formal  cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic  politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion  and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about  the Church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for  Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and  warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist. 
>>When “these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which  they were not possible,” and the person in question, with obstinate  persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, “the  minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it” (cf. Pontifical  Council for Legislative Texts Declaration “Holy Communion and Divorced,  Civilly Remarried Catholics” [2002], nos. 3-4). This decision, properly  speaking, is not a sanction or a penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy  Communion passing judgement on the person’s subjective guilt, but rather is  reacting to the person’s public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to  an objective situation of sin. 
>The cardinal’s letter was not considered during the U.S. bishops’ debate, 
however, because Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, to whom it had been sent, withheld 
the text. The letter was eventually leaked to Vatican reporter Sandro Magister, 
who published it in full. Cardinal Ratzinger’s office then confirmed its 
authenticity. 
>U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke has been the most prominent defender of canon 
915. In an interview published exclusively in English last month by LifeSiteNews, Burke insisted 
denying Communion when required is not about punishment but charity. 
>“The priest’s refusal to give Holy Communion is a prime act of pastoral 
charity, helping the person in question to avoid sacrilege and safeguarding the 
other faithful from scandal,” he explained. 
>“The exclusion of those who persist in manifest and grave sin, after having 
been duly admonished, from receiving Holy Communion is not a question of a 
punishment but of a discipline which respects the objective state of a person in 
the Church,” he added. 
>As prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, Burke is considered the Church’s 
highest-ranking canonist. 
>http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/illinois-bishop-upholds-priests-decision-to-deny-communion-to-pro-abortion 
>  
>  
>Art 
>ART KELLY
>13524 Brightfield Lane
>Herndon, Virginia 
20171-3360
>art.kelly at cox.net
>arthurkelly at yahoo.com
>(703) 904-3763 
home
>(571) 492-8422 cell
>_______________________________________________
>Apologetics mailing list
>Apologetics at gathman.org
>http://gathman.org/mailman/listinfo/apologetics
>
>
>    
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://gathman.org/pipermail/apologetics/attachments/20140408/3e666533/attachment.html>