Why Pope Francis Doesn't Give (Distribute) Communion

Chiesa ^ | May 9, 2013 | Sandro Magister

[NYer]

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The controversy in the United States over whether or not to give communion to pro-abortion Catholic politicians, with the complete text of the 2004 note from Ratzinger:

> Obama's Pick for Vice President Is Catholic. But the Bishops Deny Him Communion (27.8.2008)

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English translation by Matthew Sherry, Ballwin, Missouri, U.S.A.

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The latest three articles from www.chiesa:

7.5.2013
> Vatican Diary / "The Holy Father told me…"
On the future of the IOR and on the reform of the curia, Francis is calling prelates and cardinals back to silence. He will be the one to decide the how and the when. The pope's rebukes made public through an interview with the substitute secretary of state

3.5.2013
> Shanghai, a Strong and Hard-pressed Diocese
A state funeral for the bishop Jin Luxian, and house arrest for his successor, Ma Daqin. The former honored by the regime, the latter accused of rebellion against his country. When it comes to China, what will the new pope do?

29.4.2013
> The Spell of Pope Francis
His popularity is to a large extent due to the artfulness with which he speaks. Everything is forgiven him, even when he says things that if said by others would be hammered with criticism. But the first protests are beginning to appear

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For more news and commentary, see the blog that Sandro Magister maintains, available only in Italian:

> SETTIMO CIELO

[NYer]

Ping!

[Venturer]

unrepentant public sinners could slip in among the faithful
.........................................................
He means like Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi when they received Communion in Rome.

Both bragged on it too.

Imagine if the Pope had given it to them.

Smart man.

[Cronos]

well done Pope Francis..

[Jim Noble]

One could infer

If the Pope would excommunicate Nancy Pelosi, you woundn't need to infer anything.

[annalex]

both received communion. But not from the hands of pope Bergoglio, who was seated behind the altar.

If His Holiness does not wish to give abortionists communion he could instruct the ministers of the Holy Communion not to.

[TheGunny]

Amen! Its kinda like being an accessory to a crime? You didnt push a button on a guy, but you drove the car.

[sitetest]

Dear annalex,

I agree. This is too cute by half.

In the cases of biden and pelosi especially, it's not like we're dealing with obscure figures, or folks who try to hide their crimes against God and humanity. We're talking about two of the most powerful politicians in the most powerful nation on earth, who trumpet their support for on-going premeditated, mass, serial murder of innocent children.

If he really wanted, the pope could ensure that this filth and vermin would not receive when he is saying Mass. As well, he could instruct the bishops of the world, and the United States specifically, to ban from communion these haughty, proud, unrepentant public sinners who do not even acknowledge that their crimes are sins.

sitetest

[livius]

I agree - this is a very good way of handling it. At some point, we’ll have to discuss whether any priest should give communion to a “notorious public sinner,” unless that person has publicly renounced his sin and repented.

But this is a step in the right direction.

[Buckeye McFrog]

All very nice, but then he need so start forcing that practice upon his American Bishops in blue states.

[A.A. Cunningham]

If he really wanted, the pope could ensure that this filth and vermin would not receive when he is saying Mass.

Or he could have told Biden personally and given him a message to have San Fran Gran Nan call him for a chat.

[trebb]

Not sure I agree with the reasoning - even Jesus spent more time with the low-downs because they were the ones who need to be ministered to. What is in a person’s heart, and what may come out of sharing in the taking of Communion is not for us to decide.

[ELS]

As well, he could instruct the bishops of the world, and the United States specifically, to ban from communion these haughty, proud, unrepentant public sinners who do not even acknowledge that their crimes are sins.

Or he could have a public, solemn excommunication ritual where he formally excommunicates publicly unrepentant sinners like Biden, Pelosi, Sebelius, Cuomo, etc.

[stuartcr]

How can any priest know if someone is repentant or not?

[sitetest]

* sigh *

[sitetest]

Works for me.

[0.E.O]

Because, he says, unrepentant public sinners could slip in among the faithful, and he does not want to back up their hypocrisy.

Yeah there's nothing but God-fearing, humble penitents at the juvenile detention center, is there? No chance that an unrepentant one slipped through in a place like that.

[sitetest]

Dear stuartcr,

It's usually easier to know that someone is unrepentant than that he is repentant.

A creature like biden appears clearly unrepentant. It struts around proclaiming its baby-murder credentials. In public matters, it's difficult to imagine a realistic scenario where someone might feign unrepentance while secretly repenting.

It's more difficult to know when someone who says he is repentant is sincerely so. Here, if there is no external evidence to suggest otherwise, the Church gives the benefit of the doubt.

If someone is feigning repentance while secretly nursing hidden unrepentance, if he persists in this, he will find that at his particular judgment, he may have fooled men, but he will not have fooled God, Who sees into every heart.

sitetest

[Triple]

I am sad that they received the Eucharist at all, and that the Pope did not stand up for principles and allowed it to happen.

Pope Francis is merely turning an error of commission into an error of omission.

[stuartcr]

Thanks, I guess the Pope doesn’t give the benefit of the doubt.