Archbishop would refuse Communion to Kerry

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Tuesday, February 3, 2004

[JohnHuang2]

ELECTION 2004
Archbishop would refuse Communion to Kerry
Catholic presidential candidate's abortion stance at odds with church

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Posted: February 3, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

Polls show Missouri voters embracing John Kerry ahead of today's primary, but if the Catholic senator wanted to receive the church's Holy Communion sacrament in St. Louis, he would be rejected.

The new archbishop of St. Louis, Raymond L. Burke, said if the Massachusetts Democrat stood in line for Communion, he would give a blessing but not serve Communion, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Sen. John Kerry

Kerry's support of abortion rights puts him at odds with the Catholic Church's teaching.

The archbishop of Kerry's Boston diocese, Sean O'Malley, has urged Catholic elected officials to voluntarily not receive Communion, but he has not banned priests from giving it.

Burke said he agreed with O'Malley, but he would take the issue a step further.

"I would have to admonish him not to present himself for Communion," he said, according to the St. Louis paper. "I might give him a blessing or something."

As WorldNetDaily reported last month, as bishop of La Crosse, Wis., Burke issued a formal decree barring any Catholic lawmaker in his diocese who favors abortion from participating in Communion.

Kim Molstre, a Kerry campaign spokeswoman, responded to the St. Louis paper Friday.

"The archbishop has the right to deny Communion to whoever he wants, but Senator Kerry respectfully disagrees with him on the issue of choice," Molstre said.

In an interview Wednesday in St. Louis, Kerry said "what I believe personally as a Catholic as an article of faith is an article of faith." But as a public official, he said, it was not "appropriate in the United States for a legislator to legislate personal religious beliefs for the rest of the country."

Burke has said he would ask a meeting with any St. Louis lawmaker who disagreed with church teaching on abortion or capital punishment.

"On life issues, this is a serious issue for bishops, a grave problem for the church, which has to be addressed," Burke told the Dispatch.

[JohnHuang2]

Tuesday, February 3, 2004

Quote of the Day by IronJack

[Truth666]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/995484/posts?q=1&&page=51

[TYVets]

Archbishop Burke takes a step forward for The Church.

Amen

[TheGeezer]

One cannot espouse a public policy in contradiction with the Church's teaching. Either exit public life or change one's position.

Opposing abortion is not foisting a religious belief onto anyone, any more than permitting it is. The belief that it is OK to kill the unborn is just that: a belief. Espousing that as the law of the land is foisting a religious belief upon the nation.

[Dilbert56]

I remember an interview with Judge Bork when he was thinking of dropping his agnosticism and becoming Catholic. One of the things that seemed to appeal to him was the Catholic Church's willingness to retain unpopular positions. At the time, a few churches were letting popular opinion dictate morailty. His book "Slouching Toward Gemorrha (sp?) reflected where he thought our society is going.

Personally, I view morality as a beach that gets eroded with wave after wave of materialism, hedonism, and relativism. A courageous stand by a bishop is like a reclamation project that restores some of the lost sand. 9/11 brought us back a bit, too.

[White Eagle]

The Bishop may deny communion in a hypothetical situation, but that falls far short of encouraging his flock to find a candidate who doesn't support abortion on demand.

[kassie]

I had no idea Kerry was a Catholic. Must be one of those cafeteria types.

[Polycarp IV]

Burke has said he would ask a meeting with any St. Louis lawmaker who disagreed with church teaching on abortion or capital punishment.

I have seen no quotes whatsoever that Burke has mentioned abortion in the same breath as capital punishment as being worthy of refusing the sacraments. If anyone can provide proof, please let me know.

[AAABEST]

I think the Archbishop just doesn't like pro-death French people, which is fine with me.

This Bishop is wonderful, we need another 100 like him so we can really start cleaining up.

Kerry's campaign is mostly quiet on the subject, but this has got to be a huge OUCH.

[sinkspur]

I have seen no quotes whatsoever that Burke has mentioned abortion in the same breath as capital punishment as being worthy of refusing the sacraments. If anyone can provide proof, please let me know.

Even if he didn't say it, the Pope and American Catholic bishops have consistently opposed capital punishment.

Do not be surprised if Burke, to remain intellectually consistent with current thinking, also denies the Eucharist to a politician who favors capital punishment.

[Romulus]

Kerry's ineligible for communion because he's living in an invalid marriage. This did not stop Archhbishop O'Malley from communicating him, btw, which makes you wonder just what the new archbishop of Boston thinks communion is.

[Romulus]

Kerry's paternal grandparents were austrian Jews, who changed their name from Kohn to Kerry, and converted to Catholicism. Kerry is a cafeteria Catholic who presents himself for communion despite his invalid marriage with Teresa Heinz (his first wife opposed his bid for an annulment).

[Polycarp IV]

Do not be surprised if Burke, to remain intellectually consistent with current thinking, also denies the Eucharist to a politician who favors capital punishment.

To deny Communion to a pro-life Catholic politician who supports the state's right to have recourse to the death penalty, as the Catechism admits is the state's right, would be a mistake of colossal proportions.

(I might join the SSPX myself if I saw it happen.)

[sinkspur]

Kerry's ineligible for communion because he's living in an invalid marriage.

I read here somewhere that his ex-wife got an annulment, which means he got one too.

[sinkspur]

To deny Communion to a pro-life Catholic politician who supports the state's right to have recourse to the death penalty, as the Catechism admits is the state's right, would be a mistake of colossal proportions.

Of course it would. But don't be surprised if some bishop does it, now that Burke has set a precedent.

I also think that if O'Malley takes on Kerry before the election, it will provoke a backlash, even among Catholics, and hurt Bush immensely.

That's why I hope he holds off until December.

[arthurus]

Being for capital punishment is not a cause for refusal of communion as there is some wiggle room in the stricture. It is not absolute. Abortion is anathema. The bishop would include capitalP to show that he is not just pushing one thing and he is not implying that refusal of the sacraments is at issue with capital punishment.

[Romulus]

Your favorite newspaper says no.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Hmmm, should I ping some of the ultra-traditionalists with that news. I'll admit, if the Church were to do something like that, I would have my thoughts. Dittos with gay-marriage, etc, but that won't happen, I pray.

[Jim Noble]

This is an interesting test case that is evolving, slowly.

Kerry is the perfect cafeteria Catholic. His persistent support for infanticide is indeed, "from the beginning" as he claims, and he has never trimmed or wavered.

His formulation of "what I believe personally as a Catholic as an article of faith is an article of faith." But as a public official, he said, it was not "appropriate in the United States for a legislator to legislate personal religious beliefs for the rest of the country" superimposes Kerry's benefit (votes) over the right of the Church to teach Catholics right from wrong.

There has not yet been a situation where this bold denial of a central tenet of Catholicism has had a chance to make it into the White House.

If John Kerry is not excommunicated, then no one is excommunicated and the hold of the bishops over the Eucharist is broken for good.

[Jim Noble]

I also think that if O'Malley takes on Kerry before the election, it will provoke a backlash, even among Catholics, and hurt Bush immensely.

Because large numbers of American Catholics support abortion with their votes.

The bishops are about to take a huge risk that transcends politics.

Does the emperor have clothes?