Posted on 04/19/2008 12:30:24 PM PDT by BGHater
Twice-divorced former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani took Communion at a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict on Saturday, breaching rules that bar those who remarry outside the Church from doing so.
As he left New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral with his third wife, Judith, the failed presidential candidate confirmed to Reuters that he took Communion from a priest.
Asked if he was uncomfortable with having broken the Church ban on the divorced and remarried taking Communion, Giuliani said, "No."
The Church does not recognize divorce and teaches that divorced Catholics are still married to their earlier partner unless the Church grants them an annulment, or ruling that the initial marriage was invalid.
Giuliani unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for the White House this year. As New York mayor, he rose to prominence after the September 11 attacks, when he was hailed for his leadership during the crisis.
Despite his Catholic faith, Giuliani has espoused socially liberal political positions such as backing a woman's right to choose an abortion and supporting gay rights.
Last year Pope Benedict reaffirmed that Catholics who divorce and remarry cannot receive Communion unless they abstain from sexual relations with their new partner.
But U.S. clergy tend to leave it up to individual parishioners who are divorced to refrain from taking Communion instead of excluding them from the sacred rite.
Catholics believe that during Mass, the Communion host and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ.
At Saturday's Mass, the pope consecrated bread and wine that was distributed to the congregation by other priests. Giuliani did not take Communion from the pope himself.
During the presidential campaign, Giuliani said he had some "very, very strong views on religion" that come from him having wanted to be a priest when he was younger and studying theology for four years in college.
Among other politicians who attended the Mass was current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is Jewish.
In my church, 1200 Catholics receive communion in an average week. In an average week, less than ten go to confession in the hour provided on Saturday. Perhaps a few others avail themselves of confession at other times.
Now, perhaps Catholics where I live have the whole sin thing licked, but I do believe that most of those who receive without confession are doing EXACTLY what Rudy did.
Not to mention the hundreds and hundreds of open dissenters from Church teaching on abortion, birth control, homosexuality and other core beliefs who have no problem receiving.
Bottom line: Check out the log in your own eye before condemning brother Rudy.
You would think the fact that he said he would pay for an abortion for his daughter if she wanted one would be enough to keep him from getting communion.
A pathetic group of fake catholics in politics. Again, that is what's wrong with politics - mostly fakery.
*yawn”
So. Who's condoning that. For your knowledge there has been as much molestation in other christian denominations & probably more within the public school system.
Stupid article. Let’s single out Rudy once again.
What does that have to do with Giuliani, on April 19,2008, making a public scandal by his craven behavior? The discussion was about him, not anyone else. Start your own thread.
The rules are like a road map to heaven, follow the map and you will arrive at the destination. Those who throw the map out the window risk their soul.
and why single out Rudy? Peloseee and ketchup man received too. I blame the priest who served them.
Hope he rushed up for communion as well. After all, as the great theologian Nancy Pelosi tells us, it's all about people coming together, isn't it?
John 8
1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
Bill Clinton did at a Mass; why shouldn’t BLoomberg. Neither believes in transubstantiation; BLoomie may be a bit more honest about it though
If American Catholics are unhappy with the Vatican’s handling of child abuse and Church teaching on moral issues, then they should exercise their freedom of religion and find a denomination more suited to their needs.
These hypocritical cafeteria Catholics, who abuse the Church’s teachings regarding the Blessed Sacrament of Communion, in addition to ignoring the Ten Commandments for their own personal convenience, do not deserve to be present in a Catholic Church at all.
I always wondered what he was writing. It seems to be important since Scripture states twice that he was writing on the ground. I had a very good friend who always thought that he was writing the names of the accusors who had also slept with this woman.
He's got a veritable bag of political tricks.
For liberal votes, he's a card-carrying abortion worshipper.
For Catholic votes, he uses the "now you see me in the seminary, now you don't" trick.
Rudy's achieved reached cult status-----by running the stupidest losing campaign in US political history.
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