HHS’s Sebellius was excommunicated by her bishop.
The larger question is: What should Christian churches do about their members, politicians or not, who support abortion?
“The larger question is: What should Christian churches do about their members, politicians or not, who support abortion?”
Absolutely they should stand up for their beliefs. Membership isn’t automatic. If you don’t really believe in the teachings of your church, you ought to have the character to leave. But if you don’t you should be asked to go. Otherwise just what does the church become? In my view, a great big nothing!
And Biden has been excommunicated in several dioceses of Colorado. He cannot receive Communion there. Now if DC would just follow suit!
George Weigel, well known papal historian and catholica writer, was talking about this on Raymond Arroyo’s “World Over Live” last week.
He said that there is no Catholic Vote, that there is a Practicing religious vote
Religious people who attend regular church functions vs peoople who do not are not together a voting block.
People, by the way, who call themselves Catholic but who do not use access to church regularly cannot be chased down by the church and told not to attend or to hand in their registration.
Politicians who publicly proclaim solidarity to abortion and the other non negotiables are sandalous and probably shouk be turned away and are experiencing that lately.
We need to be careful to clarify the distinctions, which I daresay very few people understand, between denying Communion per Canon Law (915 or 916) and excommunication, whether Latae or Ferendae Senteniae.
There is also a distinction between being counseled not to present for Communion which may leave the burden on the individual, and a priest being compelled by Canon Law to refuse it, or the Bishop instructing the priests of his diocese that they are thus bound.
Sibelius has NOT been publicly excommunicated, but there is reason to suppose that she and the others often mentioned (Biden, Pelosi, etc) may be essentially excommunicated LATAE (internally, not publicly, not decreed by an ecclesial authority).
The Church is rightfully cautious about imposing its severest penalty and thus removing someone from spiritual privileges and sacraments, thereby further prodding them along the road to Hell. Ferendae is an extreme last resort, every encouragement to repentance is made first.
(Hi Salvation, haven’t seen you in a while! Been offline and happy to be back on FR now.)
Not so. In May 2008, her bishop told her she could not receive communion. That is not excommunication.