American Bishop: Pro-Choice Equals No Communion For Catholics

Life Site ^ | 06.19.07 | Peter J. Smith

[Coleus]

PATERSON, New Jersey, June 19, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Pro-choice Catholics, not just Catholic politicians, must not receive Communion if they knowingly support legalized abortion says an American Catholic bishop.  "By steadfastly choosing to be pro-choice, a Catholic -- politician or not -- excludes himself or herself from communion," wrote Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli in the June 7 edition of the Beacon, the Paterson diocese newspaper.  In his column Serratelli rebuked "pro-choice" Catholic politicians and those who "arrogantly insist that the Church does not have the right to her own teaching" and who claim a right to Communion at the same time. In particular Serratelli went after the 18 Democratic Congressmen who lashed out at Pope Benedict XVI for stating that supporting abortion is "incompatible with receiving communion"

The Church vigorously teaches that "human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception." However "pro-choice Catholics," as Serratelli pointed out, have reacted in self-righteous "how dare he" indignation when the Pope tells them that the Church has definitive truths, objective criteria for forming a conscience, and does not rubberstamp everyone as worthy to approach Holy Communion.  "[The Pope] is right when he insists that supporting abortion is incompatible with the reception of Holy Communion," said Serratelli.  "Certainly, a politician has the freedom to reject Church's teaching," he stated. "But let's be honest.  To choose to be pro-choice is to reject the Gospel of life.  It is to be not faithful to Church teaching."

Serratelli noted that guidelines for Catholics receiving Communion prepared by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops also teach that Catholics "should refrain" from receiving Communion if they were to "knowingly and obstinately to repudiate [the Church's] definitive teaching on moral issues," either in their personal or professional life. "The Church has always taught that a procured abortion is a moral evil," said Seratelli. "The Church's teaching is clear.  What is disputed now is the Church's right to speak this truth." Serratelli noted that the 18 Catholic Congressmen who "strongly chastised" Benedict XVI were refusing "to allow the Pope freedom of speech and the Church freedom of religion."

Politicians in western governments worldwide have attacked the Catholic Church's right to hold its members accountable to Catholic teachings in the name of "pluralism." Right now two Catholic archbishops in Australia, George Pell of Sydney and Hickey of Perth, face investigations into whether their telling Catholic parliamentarians that support for the destruction of human life in stem-cell research is incompatible with receiving communion amounted to "contempt of parliament." "Why should the Church not have a right to voice her teaching on this important issue in the public square?  She must speak and speak often," Serratelli said. "Abortion may be for some just a political issue.  But, for the innocent child, it is a matter of life or death."

See the Paterson Bishop's column here

Related coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:

Pope Warns Pro-Abortion Politicians Against Receiving Communion Unworthily
18 House Democrats Blast Pope for Dropping the "E-word" on Abortion
Pope Supports Excommunication for Pro-Abortion Politicians - "Incompatible with Receiving Communion"
Full Text - New US Bishops Conference Document on Worthiness to Receive Communion

[jmaroneps37]

“Meddling in politics”??????? The Church has just one function and that is to guide us back to God’s arms at the End of Days. Reminding Catholics that supporting abortion is supporting murder and therefore a grave sin is the job of the bishop. “Meddling in politics” ? I guess I’m not urbane enough to use such a phrase.

[Jim Noble]

If you are Catholic, then you MUST agree with the Church, otherwise, why be Catholic?

Of all the reasons that cradle Catholics stay Catholic, agreeing with the Church on all things is low on the list.

Very, very low.

[livius]

This isn’t “politics” but a matter of protecting the innocent from being killed. All he is saying is that supporting the killing of the innocent is incompatible with Catholic teaching, and therefore Catholics who support it should not go to Communion. The reason they will probably be reprimanded publicly and perhaps publicly denied Communion at some point is that they are proclaiming their sin publicly and using their position of power to encourage others to follow suit. Hence, the Church must deal with them publicly.

Incidentally, the Church in Italy has been under assault by gays over its opposing an attempt to sneak through a bill with the ultimate objective of legalizing “gay marriage.” The bishops and the Pope feel that this is an attempt to undermine the social structures that protect and support what the Church regards as the legitimate family structure. Catholic legislators were strongly encouraged to vote against it (I would assume the withholding of Communion was discussed), and so far, they have done so, althoug the gays are still pushing the issue. Again, this is not political, but is an attempt to protect the family from the development of social structures that will weaken or even ultimately punish it. And the Church is fully within its rights in telling its members that supporting such a thing is not consonant with Catholic doctrine, and that publicly advocating it will result in public punishment. These politicians, there and in the US, are perfectly free not to be Catholics if they don’t agree with the Church’s moral teachings; but they are not free to disagree with those teachings and claim they are still good Catholics. And that’s all the bishops are saying.

[A.A. Cunningham]

There are some denominations that teach you can lose your salvation.

You can.

That is also just a scare tactic,

It's wise counsel that should be heeded.

easily refutable in Scripture.

You might want to take that up with St. Paul since he explicitly contradicts your assertion.

[don-o]

I’m sorry, I’m a pro-life Catholic but I disagree with this selective meddling into politics.

You got it exactly backwards. The disagreement should be toward the "politics" that legalizes child murder.

[A.A. Cunningham]

CINO politicians have politicized a moral absolute. It’s the job of every Bishop to correct their behavior and warped thinking.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"Why don’t they go ahead deny communion to those who support gay marriage, unjust wars, Griswold v. Connecticut (contraception) and so on."

I think you don't quite understand. People who knowingly defy the Church on any clear and definitive moral teaching --- including the ones you mentioned--- are to refrain from receiving communion until they repent and confess their sins, and receive absolution.

So it's not a matter of "selectivemeddling in politics." It's a matter of beginning (somewhere) to restore comprehensive moral and doctrinal integrity.

But tens of thousamds, millions, recieve communion while in a state of unrepented moral offense. People have exceedingly coarsened consciences, so that they do not even consider the possibility that they may be in serious sin, and thus receiving communion in serious sacrilege.

[OpusatFR]

““I’m sorry, I’m a pro-life Catholic but I disagree with this selective meddling into politics.”

As a fellow Catholic, I wholeheartedly agree.”

I don’t think he’s meddling at all. He is making a statement about the faith. He hasn’t said don’t come to Mass. He has said do not take Communion.

There is a difference between being nominally Catholic and actually living the faith.

As a Bishop, he is exhorting the people to live the faith. He’s perfectly within his right to do so. The politicians can make the choice of being Catholic or not.

[Aquinasfan]

"Certainly, a politician has the freedom to reject Church's teaching," he stated. "But let's be honest. To choose to be pro-choice is to reject the Gospel of life. It is to be not faithful to Church teaching."

Serratelli noted that guidelines for Catholics receiving Communion prepared by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops also teach that Catholics "should refrain" from receiving Communion if they were to "knowingly and obstinately to repudiate [the Church's] definitive teaching on moral issues," either in their personal or professional life.

There, now that wasn't so difficult, was it? The sky hasn't fallen, has it?

Now if only the other bishops could muster the courage to do the same.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Just to clarify my message (above) before it sparks a round of needless ruckus:

In terms of Catholics and Holy Communion, NONE of us should be receiving the Blessed Sacrament if we are conscious of ANY unrepented and unconfessed serious sin, and that includes looking at a woman to lust after her, or hating your brother. That's not just me and not just "the Vatican." It's Christ Almighty. Look it up.

In terms of politics, the government does not, and should not, replicate the entire moral code into the civil and criminal code. (For instance, one has a moral obligation to worship God, but not a legal obligation.) However, there are some things a government really is obliged to do, and the biggie is to protect the Right to Life. That's right there in the foundational principles of American civil government (Declaration of Independence) as well as in Catholic and Natural Law.

Therefore the government is objectively obliged to stop abortion, infanticide, euthansia, suicide, and any other form of homicide.

This list is illustrative, not exhaustive.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

Good. They are using their membership in the Catholic church for their own political goals.

[Aquinasfan]

I’m sorry, I’m a pro-life Catholic but I disagree with this selective meddling into politics. Why don’t they go ahead deny communion to those who support gay marriage, unjust wars, Griswold v. Connecticut (contraception) and so on.

For two reasons, gravity of the evil and prudential judgement. To remain silent in the face of, let's face it, genocide, is to be complicit in the slaughter of the unborn.

Certainly homosexual "marriage," as a direct assault on children and the family, is a grave evil, and the same rule should apply to self-described Catholic politicians, at least in principle. But the bishop has prudential concerns. If he threw all of these issues on the table at once, it would lessen the impact of his statement, and pro-abortion politicians would muddy the waters by pointing fingers elsewhere.

In time, the bishop should bring up each issue individually. He began with the most serious and visible evil.

[Aquinasfan]

Does anyone know if 'sanctity of human life' is an actual dogma of the Church and thus covered by Papal Infallibility (Referencing Pius IX)?

"Thou shall not murder"?

That human life begins at conception is part of the Ordinary Magisterium, but has not been defined "ex cathedra," as has The Assumption, for example.

Pope Says Pre-implanted Embryo is Sacred

VATICAN CITY --Pope Benedict XVI said Monday that embryos developed for in vitro fertilization deserve the same right to life as fetuses, children and adults -- and that that right extends to embryos even before they are transferred into a woman's womb.

The Vatican has long held that human life begins at conception, but Benedict's comments were significant because he specified that even an embryo in its earliest stages -- when it is just a few cells -- is just as much a human life as an older being.

Of course, no number of papal statements will convince death-minded, caviling theologians.

[Aquinasfan]

In terms of politics, the government does not, and should not, replicate the entire moral code into the civil and criminal code. (For instance, one has a moral obligation to worship God, but not a legal obligation.) However, there are some things a government really is obliged to do, and the biggie is to protect the Right to Life. That's right there in the foundational principles of American civil government (Declaration of Independence) as well as in Catholic and Natural Law.

Therefore the government is objectively obliged to stop abortion, infanticide, euthansia, suicide, and any other form of homicide.

This list is illustrative, not exhaustive.

Bump worthy!

[don-o]

As a Bishop, he is exhorting the people to live the faith. He’s perfectly within his right to do so. The politicians can make the choice of being Catholic or not.

Actually, it is much more than "within his right..."

He is merely fulfilling his vows; which has become so unusual as to appear almost odd in these dark days.

[Antoninus]

God bless you, your Excellency. Keep up the good work!

[Antoninus]

Why don’t they go ahead deny communion to those who support gay marriage, unjust wars, Griswold v. Connecticut (contraception) and so on.

Oh please. Your argument is the "seamless garment" canard in another form. Abortion is an abomination on a tremendous scale. The Bishops are totally right and justified in excluding anyone who helps facilitate this abomination.

As for "gay marriage", I'd be fine if they excommunicated people on that one as well.

As for contraception, the American Bishops can hardly fault the laity for not following Church teaching there. The laity haven't been properly catechized on that issue for decades. The bishops need to start teaching it zealously first before imposing any disciplinary actions.

As for "unjust wars" I'd be fine with excommunicating politicians who wage unjust wars....as soon as the Pope declares any particular war unjust.

[Antoninus]

As a fellow Catholic, I wholeheartedly agree.

Of course you do. I'll bet you think those darned clergy should have stayed out of the slavery issue in the 1850s as well...

[afraidfortherepublic]

The problem with denying Communion across the Board to anyone who supports abortion, gay marriage, etc., is that the Communion ministers do not know that. A politician’s views are known and are a scandal to the church so it is easier to select them.

That does notmean that the ordinary communicant is not excommunicated — they are in fact if they are living outside the teachings of the church. But only they and God know it in their hearts. It is the public position of the politician that makes it different.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I meant to add that I support the Bishop and I’m glad to hear that you do too! :)