Ottawa Archbishop explains why pro-abortion politicians are denied Communion

From LifeSiteNews.com reported March 14, 2008:

The mainstream media has picked up on comments by Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast regarding reception of Holy Communion for pro-abortion politicians.  However, one part of the discussion which has received little discussion is the reason why the Church would deny politicians reception of Communion.

“The Code of Canon Law says in #915 that ‘those whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin,” explains the religious leader of Canada’s national capital,”are not to be admitted to Holy Communion’.”

“What is at issue is whether a politician who does not himself or herself participate in an abortion but supports ‘a woman’s right to choose’ (or however else shows support for abortion) is guilty of grave sin and then obstinately persists in this state of grave sin.”

Archbishop Prendergast stresses that denying Holy Communion is undertaken out of concern for the offending Catholic (politician in the case at hand).  “The Church’s concern is for anyone who persists in grave sin, hoping that medicinal measures (which is how excommunication and interdict are to be understood) may draw them away from the wrong path to the truth of our faith.”

The Ottawa prelate points out how Christians from the beginning were told of the need to be in good standing with the faith before receiving Communion.  “(St.) Paul said that before receiving communion a Christian should take part in self-examination and only then receive the Body of the Lord after necessary conversion (1 Cor 11:28).”

Prendergast has no dislike for politicians, in fact just the opposite. “I deeply admire politicians for their desire to serve the public good and to make the many sacrifices necessary to win public office and to give themselves to public service,” he says, adding, “They ought to be motivated by a concern for justice, good order, the public good, etc.”

He notes however that “One of the greatest areas for effecting justice is the support of life in the womb and through all stages of life.  Abortion goes against the Church’s understanding, based on the teaching of Jesus, on the inviolability of innocent human life – including the unborn – and of the obligation of public servants to protect the weakest in society.  It is hard to see how the support of abortion is not a very grave evil.”

The decision to take “medicinal” remedies, says the Archbishop, is not taken lightly, and is simply an attempt at direct intervention with the politicians.  “Perhaps politicians embrace the support of a woman’s right to choose unthinkingly, following party policy; this is where the church with the help of its pastors and through fellow believers needs to come to the assistance of those who serve the public good,” he said.

“It may take time to work with political figures before one can conclude that they are obstinately persisting in manifest grave sin and that, therefore, denial of communion or of encouraging them not to present themselves for communion is reached as the medicinal remedy to draw them back to the way of Christ, Our Lord, the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

One other consideration in addressing seriously such grave violations of Church teaching is scandal.  “If one were to allow Catholic political (or other public) figures to freely espouse abortion without drawing to their attention that this is a grave evil,” explained Archbishop Prendergast, “other believers might be tended to accept this, not knowing any better and be led on the wrong path: that is what ‘scandal’ is.  One must do everything possible to prevent others from falling away from the path of Christ – i.e. from being scandalized.”See related LifeSiteNews articles:

Pope Supports Excommunication for Pro-Abortion Politicians – “Incompatible with Receiving Communion”
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/may/07050901.html

Second U.S. Bishop Says Vatican Letter on Pro-Abort Politicians Withheld from Bishops
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/aug/04080603.html

Cardinal McCarrick Continues to Conceal Rome’s Insistence that Pro-Abort Politicians Be Denied Communion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/oct/06102310.html

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Two More Bishops Make 8 Who Have Come Out against Pelosi’s ‘Catholic’ Abortion Theology

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 28, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Two more bishops have released statements condemning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s widely publicized claim that the Catholic faith could support abortion.

Bishop Michael J. Sheridan of Colorado Springs and Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh join the other six Catholic bishops who have already corrected Pelosi’s false claims, made during an appearnace on NBC’s Meet the Press, that when life begins has been “an issue of controversy” throughout the history of the Church and that, therefore, the Catholic faith can support abortion.

Bishop Sheridan warned Catholics in his statement Tuesday that Pelosi’s picture of Church history and teaching is categorically false.  “Speaker Pelosi’s outrageous attempt to present what she considers the teaching of the Catholic Church regarding abortion is simply wrong and should be disregarded by every faithful Catholic,” he wrote.

Quoting Pope John Paul II, Bishop Sheridan reminded his readers that violating the right to life undermines all human rights, which are present “from the moment of conception until natural death.”

“The teachings of the Church on abortion are consistent and unambiguous, and it is very disturbing to hear someone who claims to be a Catholic distort these teachings and sow seeds of confusion among the faithful by attempting to relativize the right to life,” said Bishop Sheridan. 

Bishop Zubik on Wednesday also condemned Pelosi for going too far: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped out of her political role and completely misrepresented the teaching of the Catholic Church in regard to abortion.”  The bishop went on to reject the notion that Church condemnation of abortion “is somehow new and therefore unsettled.”

Both bishops cited the first-century Didache, the earliest collection of Catholic moral teachings besides the Bible, to show that the Catholic Church from the beginning has unequivocally condemned violence against unborn life: “You shall not kill the embryo by abortion.”

Pelosi’s own bishop, Archbishop George Hugh Niederauer, has thus far made no comment.  His spokesman Maurice Healy told LifeSiteNews.com that the Archbishop would be publishing something on the matter in his regular column in the diocesan newspaper on September 5.

Bishop Sheridan’s full statement: http://www.diocs.org/images/Abortion%20Statement%20_2_%201pg…

Bishop Zubik’s full statement: http://www.diopitt.org/

See related LifeSiteNews.com articles:

Pelosi Spokeswoman About-face: Catholic Church “Clear” on Life Teaching After All – But Catholics Need Not Listen
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/aug/08082706.html

“Catholic” Speaker Pelosi Denies that Catholicism Condemns Abortion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/aug/08082502.html

Cardinals, Bishops and Congressmen Slam Pelosi on Abortion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/aug/08082601.html

New York Cardinal – Pelosi Not Worthy of “Providing Leadership in a Civilized Democracy”
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/aug/08082605.html

Ten Congressmen Chime In

WASHINGTON, August 26, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – “Catholic” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s blatantly fallacious remarks on August 24 regarding the Catholic Church’s teaching on abortion have triggered a tidal wave of criticisms from clergymen, congressmen and Catholics nationwide.Responding to a question from NBC’s Meet the Press moderator Tom Brokaw about when human life begins, Pelsosi appealed to her extensive research on the issue as well as her “ardent” Catholic faith to claim that, “I don’t think anybody can tell you when life begins.”

She asserted that “over the centuries, the doctors of the church have not been able to make that definition,” in attempt to support her pro-abortion and pro-contraception stance.  Watch the full interview here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwUSt7dfj5I)

The response to Pelosi’s statements has been intense as Catholic leaders across America are wondering how a “Catholic” with a self-proclaimed broad understanding of the Catholic Church’s position on human life could have overseen the straightforward teaching contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC).

Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl quoted this teaching (section 2270-2271 of the CCC) in a letter responding to Pelosi’s comments:  “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception…Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.” (Catechism, 2270-2271)

Rebuking her, Archbishop Wuerl said that, “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi misrepresented the history and nature of the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church against abortion.” For the full letter see: (http://www.adw.org/news/news.asp?ID=569&Year=2008)

Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, Archbishop of Denver, also issued a release on Pelosi’s remarks, explaining that Pelosi’s belief that a woman has the “right to choose” to end her baby’s life contradicts Catholic teaching and addressing her comments suggesting the Catholic Church has been polarized on the issue over the course of history.

None of the early Fathers “diminished the unique evil of abortion as an attack on life itself, and the early Church closely associated abortion with infanticide.  In short, from the beginning, the believing Christian community held that abortion was always, gravely wrong,” said Archbishop Chaput.
 
“Catholics who make excuses for it – whether they’re famous or not – fool only themselves and abuse the fidelity of those Catholics who do sincerely seek to follow the Gospel and live their Catholic faith,” he added.  For the full letter see: (http://www.archden.org/images/ArchbishopCorner/ByTopic/onsep…)

Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop William E. Lori, chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine also wrote a response letter.

After mentioning the fact that scientists are certain that “a new human individual comes into being from the union of sperm and egg at fertilization,” the bishops wrote, “In keeping with this modern understanding, the Church teaches that from the time of conception (fertilization), each member of the human species must be given the full respect due to a human person, beginning with respect for the fundamental right to life.”  For the full letter see: (http://www.usccb.org/)

Edward Cardinal Egan of the Archdiocese of New York is another Church leader that has stepped up to defend the faith of his people.  Please see upcoming separate LifeSiteNews.com coverage on his comments.

It was not only the leaders of the Church that felt the need to correct Pelosi. Ten congressmen have sent Pelosi a letter asking her to publicly rectify her misrepresentation of Catholic teachings.

“As fellow Catholics and legislators, we wish you (Pelosi) would have made a more honest effort to lay out the authentic position of the Church on this core moral issue before attempting to address it with authority,” said the congressmen. “Your subsequent remarks mangle Catholic Church doctrine regarding the inherent sanctity and dignity of human life; therefore, we are compelled to refute your error.”
 
“To reduce the scandal and consternation caused amongst the faithful by your remarks, we necessarily write you to correct the public record and affirm the Church’s actual and historical teaching that defends the sanctity of human life,” concluded their letter, which contained the following signatures.

Hon. Thaddeus G. McCotter (MI)
Hon. Steve Chabot (OH)
Hon. Virginia Foxx (NC)
Hon. Phil Gingrey (GA)
Hon. Peter King (NY)
Hon. Steve King (IA)
Hon. Daniel Lungren (CA)
Hon. Devin Nunes (CA)
Hon. John Sullivan (OK)
Hon. Patrick Tiberi (OH)

See the full letter from the congressmen here:
(http://www.americanpapist.com/Pelosi%20Letter.pdf)

Please see related coverage:
“Catholic” Speaker Pelosi Denies that Catholicism Condemns Abortion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/aug/08082502.html

 

Cardinal Egan’s Remarkable Comment About Pelosi

From Inside Catholic:

It should be noted that among all the bishops who have responded to Pelosi lecturing them on the beginning of human life, Cardinal Egan was particularly pointed. 

If you compare the statements of Cardinal Rigali, Bishop Lori, Archbishop Chaput, and Archbishop Wuerl to Cardinal Egan’s, the latter has the tone of someone who has “had it” with the hubris of pro-abortion politicians.

Here is the text in full with my italics added:

STATEMENT OF HIS EMINENCE, EDWARD CARDINAL EGAN CONCERNING REMARKS MADE BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Like many other citizens of this nation, I was shocked to learn that the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States of America would make the kind of statements that were made to Mr. Tom Brokaw of NBC-TV on Sunday, August 24, 2008. What the Speaker had to say about theologians and their positions regarding abortion was not only misinformed; it was also, and especially, utterly incredible in this day and age.

We are blessed in the 21st century with crystal-clear photographs and action films of the living realities within their pregnant mothers. No one with the slightest measure of integrity or honor could fail to know what these marvelous beings manifestly, clearly, and obviously are, as they smile and wave into the world outside the womb. In simplest terms, they are human beings with an inalienable right to live, a right that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is bound to defend at all costs for the most basic of ethical reasons. They are not parts of their mothers, and what they are depends not at all upon the opinions of theologians of any faith. Anyone who dares to defend that they may be legitimately killed because another human being “chooses” to do so or for any other equally ridiculous reason should not be providing leadership in a civilized democracy worthy of the name.

Edward Cardinal Egan

Archbishop of New York

Since going to New York, Cardinal Egan has joined the political fray on very few occasions. That he has done so now is a tribute to Pelosi’s lack of respect for Catholic bishops, e.g., thinking she can tell Catholics what they can disagree with clearly defined Church teaching.  

There is one bishop, however, we have yet to from, Pelosi’s bishop.  Isn’t it rather strange that a Catholic member of Congress from San Francisco would provoke press releases from two cardinals, two archbishops, and a bishop from different parts of the country, but not a peep from her own archdiocese.  

The silence of Archbishop Niederauer may be due to the fact that the joint statement of Rigali and Lori comes from the chairmen of two USCCB committees — pro-life activities and doctrine —  and could be construed to represent all the bishops.  

The archdiocese of San Franciso web site has prominently posted the Rigali/Lori statement.

Nonetheless, with Speaker Pelosi continuing to cite one passage of St. Augustine against Catechism of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Niederauer may yet be forced to speak out himself.

The Pelosi controversy, however, may have one or two more chapters when the Jesuits who have been teaching this sort of confusion on delayed ensoulment for decades begin rushing to Pelosi’s defense, if they haven’t already.  

My guess is that the president of the University of San Francisco, Fr. Stephen A. Privett , SJ, is preparing some sort of pro-Pelosi sally in the next few days. Privett has been one of Pelosi’s most ardent Catholic allies.