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.
humor of the day
Isn’t it against the rules for pro-abortion Catholics like Giulliani and pretty much all the democrats to partake of communion?
I gather Mayor Bloomberg refrained from taking Holy Communion...
‘Among other politicians who attended the Mass was current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is Jewish.’
Dunno.
I really don’t understand why people do this. If they have no morals, do not follow the church’s teachings, why is it important to them to take Communion? They can’t believe it’s ok in their heart, so it must be to stick it to the church and be seen doing it - like screw the rules, I make my own.
Ah yes. If only those who are totally free of sin partook of communion in any church...there would be a lot of leftover bread and wine in the back. Isn’t it also against the Chuch’s teachings for priests to molest little boys? And yet those same men took (and offered) communion for many years.....
Any mention of the PRO-Abortionists doing the same?
Why do they even let these CINO’s in the door for these highly visible media events/masses. I’ll bet the last time Guiliani darkened a churches doorway was when JPII was in town.
When did that become the standard for the Roman Catholic Church? Would you be so kind as to reference this teaching in their Catechism?
For which they will all pay a heavy price following their particular judgments.
Committing sins doesn’t justify sinning.
The altar boys should have a paten in one hand and a baseball bat in the other. Catholics like rudy can then have their choice.
Bearing false witness is a mortal sin so you have someting in common with the pederasts and ephebophiles.
Rudy should be that defiant during his particular judgment and see what happens.
bttt
You a noob or a retread posting under a different screen name?
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