[SeekAndFind]

So, are the following divorced Catholics taking communion?

John Kerry
Rudy Giuliani
Newt Gingrich
Andrew Cuomo
Mel Gibson

[Toespi]

Well, New Gingrich is a converted catholic, after his marriage, so it does not apply to him. The rest of the list, not sure about Mel Gibson, are born Catholics.

[a fool in paradise]

Nancy Pelosi said that the Pope was incorrect on the Catholic position regarding birth control/abortion. Does she still receive?

[Jim from C-Town]

Newt Gingrich was only married In the Catholic Church once. To his present wife.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Mel Gibson may not be a Catholic (I don't know whether he considers himself in communion with the Pope, or whether he's a member of his father Hutton Gibson's sedevacantist club.)

As for Gingrich, his first two marriages, which were when he was not a Catholic, which did not involve Catholic spouses, and which were not solemnized by the Sacrament of Matrimony in the Catholic Church, were annulled. He never attempted to divorce from a sacramental marriage, and therefore it is not an issue.

The rest --- Kerry, Giuliani, Cuomo --- do they go to Communion? I know that all three of them have been mentioned by name by Canon Lawyer Ed Peters as not being eligible. Do they belong to parishes?

Do you think somebody should be surveilling them? surveilling them?

[Arthur McGowan]

I recall that bishop Howard Hubbard, at a Mass celebrated BECAUSE of Andrew Cuomo’s inauguration as governor, said from the pulpit that Cuomo and his shack-up (who were seated up front) were “evangelists.”

Whether one or both of them received Communion was not clear, as I recall, from the news accounts. But the statement from Howard Hubbard was almost as scandalous in itself.

I’m sure that many Catholics are maintaining a countdown to Hubbard’s 75th birthday.