Bishop Paprocki Calls on Catholic Politicians to Take Sides

Crisis Magazine ^ | 6/17/19 | John N. Grondelski

[marshmallow]

Thomas Paprocki, the bishop of Springfield (the state capital of Illinois), has issued a decree barring the Illinois State Senate President and House Speaker—both ostensibly Catholics—from receiving Communion in the diocese. The June 2 decision took place in response to enactment of abortion legislation codifying in state law an unlimited abortion liberty through birth, in the event that Roe et al. v. Wade would be judicially modified. Paprocki’s decree also states that Illinois Catholic legislators who voted for the bill should also not receive Communion until they first are “reconciled to Christ and the Church.”

With the uptick in state legislative action on abortion this year, the problem of nominal Catholics receiving Communion while voting for abortion has again become acute. This issue has arisen over the years: it first arose in 1973 when a Catholic justice, William Brennan, joined the majority in Roe and it acquired particular visibility again in 1984 and 2004.

In 1984, Democratic New York Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro became the first Catholic since Roe to be a major party presidential or vice-presidential candidate. Her pro-abortion stand was then strongly criticized by John Cardinal O’Connor, Archbishop of New York, who nevertheless did not take the further step of publicly barring Ferraro from Communion.

That same year, Mario Cuomo appeared at the University of Notre Dame to provide theological cover for “personally opposed” (but presumably impersonally accepting) support for abortion.

[a fool in paradise]

First “bake the cake” lawsuit alleging discrimination against these politicians in 5... 4... 3... 2...

[PBRCat]

In a recent discovery deposition, Michael J. Madigan responded to a question concerning his religious affiliation that he no longer belongs to a church.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Sadly few of them have the guts.