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"My predecessors, Cardinal William Levada and Archbishop John Quinn, have both denounced this group's abuse of sacred things many times in the past. Only last year, I instructed the Administrator of Most Holy Redeemer Parish to cancel the group's use of the hall on the parish grounds, once I became aware of it."

I too am glad that he apologized.

But in the light of the above, is it fair to say that he saved himself from the charge of abetting sacrilege only by demonstrating mental deficiency?

God forgive me, but I don't see how he wouldn't have known that these men were members of SPI.

The Abp could at least have focused his sermon on God's heartfelt desire to have every soul in TRUE communion with Him, which involves repentance and a conversion of life. He might have also mentioned the spiritually lethal consequences of receiving the Blessed Sacrament unworthily, while conscious of grave and unconfessed sin.

This would have been prudent considering the open perversion-promoting activities for which the parish is notorious, not only in San Francisco but across the country.

Moreover, the Abp could do what I've seen reverent, God-pleasing Orthodox priests do at their Liturgy, when a manifestly scandalous person of very dubious spiritual preparation comes up for Communion. The priest puts a paternal hand this shoulder and says, quietly and confidentially, "I cannot give you Holy Communion right now, dear son, but I need to speak with you. Go now in peace and see me after Liturgy."

And then, if the person has anything to confess, he can confess it, and the Abp can give him communion after this holy Reconciliation. This would be truly a loving and pastoral response, rescuing souls like the Good Shepherd Himself, without exposing Our Lord to sacrilege and His people to scandal.