[Polycarp IV]

Bishops are free to refuse, or not refuse.

Yes, that is their consensus.

But its also open schism.

The question was, "what is the canonical status of this latest "consensus"?

Canonically, it is an openly schismatic and defiant act, no better than any trad schismatic.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

If you look at the discourse of the bishops logically, you will notice more than a little equivocation. Kerry does not merely disagree. He does not merely hold a private opinion in disagreement on an ethical issue of grave matter. Nor does he merely not advance the Catholic position in public. He CAMPAIGNS and promotes with wild-eyed abandon perhaps the greatest and most monstrous abomination of the modern era of godless Frankenstein scientism. He is a cheerleader FOR the culture of death. For creating embryos in labs and slaughtering them for parts. He wants our tax dollars to FUND this abomination. How on earth can any bishop or priest of the Catholic Church say this is OK and fine for such a monster to receive Holy Communion???

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

OK, here's a judgment. And Kerry can thank God I am not his bishop. Kerry's activities meet the criteria for facilitating abortion. He is now automatically de facto excommunicated.

[sinkspur]

But its also open schism.

No it's not. When Ratzinger makes this the official policy of the Church, in Europe and in Latin America, then it would be schismatic.

As of now, we have an Italian newspaper as the source, with a truly schismatic website parroting that same newspaper.