Posted on 07/06/2004 12:31:01 PM PDT by areafiftyone
In a private memorandum, top Vatican prelate Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger told American bishops that Communion must be denied to Catholic politicians who support legal abortion.
While never mentioning Sen. John Kerry by name, the memo implicitly aims at the pro-choice Catholic Massachusetts senator and presidential candidate.
But the ban is broad and includes all other pro-abortion Catholic politicians who are defying the church's ban on abortion.
According the the Culture of Life Foundation, which obtained a copy of the confidential document, the Cardinal began by stressing the serious nature of receiving Communion and the need for each person to make “a conscious decision” regarding their worthiness based on “the Church’s objective criteria.”
But the Cardinal adds that it is not only the responsibility of the pro-abortion politicians such as Kerry to make a judgment about their worthiness to receive Communion.
It is also up to those distributing Communion to deny the sacrament to those in conflict with the Church's prohibition of abortion and the duty of office holders to oppose the procedure.
“Apart from an individual’s judgment about his worthiness to present himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion may find himself in the situation where he must refuse to distribute Holy Communion to someone, such as in cases of a declared excommunication, a declared interdict, or an obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin.”
If a politician such as Kerry “still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it, ” Cardinal Ratzinger wrote.
He added that such as denial does not mean that the minister of Communion is judging the politician’s soul but is a reflection that he is in a state of obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin.
“Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgment 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 document also address the issues of the death penalty and war, contrasting these issues and with abortion.
“Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia ... There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia,” Ratzinger wrote.
The memo was one of the subjects of an interim report by a task force of seven bishops established to address the Communion question.
The topic was also addressed by the American Bishops during their mid-June meeting in Dallas.
At that meeting the Bishops approved a document titled “Catholics in Political Life” which while it had harsh words for pro-abortion leaders, did not make specific recommendations on whether or not they should be denied Communion instead leaving the decision to individual Bishops.
Implicit in what the the Cardinal was saying, however, is that the bishops are required to state unambiguously that pro-abortion politicians must be denied Holy Communion, thus removing the decision from the bishops' discretion.
It doesn't lessen their support. But there is a presidential election this year. No one, at this time, is paying attention to proabort catholic republicans. Because a prolife non catholic republican is getting all the press.
Who cares!
Catholics will still vote for him since it is $$$ that mean more. Social justice, er socialism, promoted bythe pope is what gets their attention. Catholics have been voting fro Demoncrats for YEARS and Demoncrats have always stood for the same vile things.
"It specifically states that abortion and euthanasia are separate issues. The death penalty and wars are related more to an individual's conscience. "
Yeah, I read that. Death is death. (I'm personally pro-capital punishment and pro-WoT, btw).
"This question of Kerry is about a man who wants to claim he's Catholic, which our 1st ammendment protects. However, the Catholic Church is also free to state that he's not one of us."
True, true...but coming out with this during an election year just reeks of religion getting into politics, something I abhor.
Also, there will never be a Vatican III outlawing religious war. Thats a change in doctrine, which is impossible in the Catholic Church. And Dubya wouldn't be denied communion. War is morally permissable, in some instances, according to Catholic doctrine. And the Vatican leaves the ultimate decision in the hands of civil authorities.
crap. you know what i meant. not religious war. just war in general. thats what i get for not previewing.
"The Pope's personal disapproval of the Iraq War is nooooot Catholic doctrine!"
Not yet........Maybe after the Vatican III....(Note: I personally support a necessary war)
"Catholic politicians, if they want to be Catholic, have to be Catholic all the time, not just when they're off work."
I see your point and agree. Pardon me for being wary of the Catholic Church getting remotely involved in politics. History shows that at governing, the Vatican is horribly inept.
"No one, at this time, is paying attention to proabort catholic republicans"
Except God.
So how does letting openly unrepentant politicians receive the Eucharist help those abused children?
Does the Church have to stop Everything, feeding the poor,
When should the KKK stop deciding who are president is like they did with Al Smith? How is a Catholic presidentn any different than Ronald Reagan, if he did what he thought was right?
"Also, there will never be a Vatican III outlawing religious war. Thats a change in doctrine, which is impossible in the Catholic Church. "
I don't have time to point how the numerous changes throughout history involving the doctrine of the Church. Suffice it to say, it's not 'impossible'.
When it comes to Godly matter, nothing is impossible.
did yunz see this?
"So how does letting openly unrepentant politicians receive the Eucharist help those abused children? "
Probably no more than completely ignoring it while continuing to ordain men with sexual disorders, which appears to be the unofficial Vatican policy.
"Does the Church have to stop Everything, feeding the poor,"
Hey - I think you got cut off there...
Of course this is about sin. Don't buy the Pelosi spin that those on the right side of this issue are the ones being political. The political-minded bishops are the ones who want to shield their Dem "brethren" from the political consequences of being refused communion.
In case you haven't noticed, what the bishops think has become largely irrelevant. 40 years ago, what someone like Cardinal Spellman said could have an impact, but that power is gone. Do you think it matters what any of those bishops say? Do bishops have any duty to instruct their flock?
It's highly doubtful that Ratzinger would be elected Pope when, at age 78, he's three years older than the mandatory retirement age of bishops.
______________________________
"A short list" for papabile is a fiction, anyway, since even being on one is usually the kiss of death.
Well said.
And the politician also has the right to look for a different "faith".
I started asking my Mom - devout Catholic - about this issue years ago.
She never really wanted to give me an answer. And it is still very much a sticking point between us.
LVM
Almost all of them seem fairly old to me.
Since the Pope won't be there to vote, the question is whether the voting cardinals are predominantly conservative or moderate.
Also, which conservative is likely to be a liberal from a long-running conspiracy. Likewise, which moderate and which liberal.
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