Real Love Incorporated - Articles » Kerry and Communion

I'm not old enough to remember John F. Kennedy's election to the
presidency. (Actually, I'm not old enough to have been alive at the time of his
election. I'm only old enough to have been alive at the time of his assassination
– and family folklore has it that I was in the midst of a diaper change when CBS
interrupted As The World Turns to broadcast the news.) But I know enough
about history to know that his Catholicism was a big deal, and that Americans
were afraid a Catholic president would "take orders from the Pope."

Now we have another Catholic JFK running for President – John Forbes
Kerry. (Yes, his middle name really is Forbes.)   Like Kennedy, he is less than
"orthodox" in the practice of his Catholicism. But, unlike Kennedy, the world is
well aware of his divergence from Catholic teaching. In his long career in the
U.S. Senate, he has racked up a solidly pro-abortion voting record.

This is definitely not a guy who would be taking "orders" from the Pope.

This leads to a pretty serious problem for the Catholic Church in America.
How are the Bishops supposed to handle a situation where one of the most
visible men in the world is claiming to be Catholic, and yet espouses positions
contrary to the most central tenets of the Catholic faith – the sanctity of life from
conception until natural death?

Many, of course, would prefer that the Church just ignore the whole
situation. They say that John Kerry has a right to his own beliefs, that his voting
record is none of the Church's business.

But when he stands up and proclaims himself to be a Catholic, his voting
record becomes the Church's business.

Here's the problem: to proclaim oneself Catholic means something. It
means that one adheres to a set of beliefs – the set of beliefs set forth in The
Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is not a democracy. We
believe that the Church was founded by Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit guides
her official teachings. Someone who doesn't believe that has rejected the core
tenet on which the Catholic Church is based. He or she has a right to reject that
teaching. But, in doing so, that person has essentially rejected Catholicism.
That person is then, by definition, no longer Catholic.

Of course John Kerry has a right to his own beliefs. No one is suggesting
otherwise. The Church is not threatening to lock him in a dungeon until he
recants his position. But the Catholic Church has the right to proclaim her
teachings, and the right to speak up when someone claims to be a faithful
Catholic while publicly espousing positions that the are contrary to those
teachings.

And so several bishops have stated that John Kerry and other pro-
abortion politicians should not receive communion. That seems to many to be a
cruel and drastic measure. A group of Catholic congresspersons wrote a letter to
Cardinal McCarrick, saying in part "We do not believe it is our role to legislate the
teachings of the Catholic Church."

Well, no – not exactly. No one is asking Catholic legislators to legally
enshrine the doctrine of the Trinity or the validity of transubstantiation. But
abortion is a different matter. It is the violent destruction of a vulnerable,
defenseless human life. It is a matter of the violation of the most basic of civil
rights. The Church has every right to say, "We can't stop you from promoting this
evil. But we cannot and will not recognize you as a member in good standing of
our Church."

It occurs to me that many, if not most, of these very same legislators
would have applauded a Church which, back in the '50's and '60's, would have
denied communion to someone who publicly espoused racial bigotry.

The legislator's letter warned the Church against mixing religion and
"partisan politics." I have a problem with this on two levels. First of all, the
Church has a right to a voice in the public square, just like any other person or
group.

Second – and far more important – is the fact that denying pro-abortion
politicians communion is not primarily about politics. It is about saving souls.
Voting for pro-abortion legislation is a public act. Receiving Christ in the
Eucharist is also a public act – an act that means something profound in the
Catholic world. We call it "communion" for a reason. To receive the Eucharist is
a statement of communion – full participation and integration -- with Christ's
Church.   St. Paul warns us "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup
of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood
of the Lord." (1Cor 11:27) When politicians who have made public statements of
support for abortion publicly receive communion, they further endanger their own
souls. And, what's worse, they endanger the souls of other Catholics who see
both of those public acts. It's called "scandal." If the Church doesn't speak out,
she gives Catholics everywhere the impression that those two public acts are not
contradictory. That endangers literally millions of souls.

And saving souls is what the Church is all about.


	Kerry and Communion It's not about politics. It's about saving souls. June 4, 2004 I'm not old enough to remember John F. Kennedy's election to the presidency. (Actually, I'm not old enough to have been alive at the time of his election. I'm only old enough to have been alive at the time of his assassination – and family folklore has it that I was in the midst of a diaper change when CBS interrupted As The World Turns to broadcast the news.) But I know enough about history to know that his Catholicism was a big deal, and that Americans were afraid a Catholic president would "take orders from the Pope." Now we have another Catholic JFK running for President – John Forbes Kerry. (Yes, his middle name really is Forbes.) Like Kennedy, he is less than "orthodox" in the practice of his Catholicism. But, unlike Kennedy, the world is well aware of his divergence from Catholic teaching. In his long career in the U.S. Senate, he has racked up a solidly pro-abortion voting record. This is definitely not a guy who would be taking "orders" from the Pope. This leads to a pretty serious problem for the Catholic Church in America. How are the Bishops supposed to handle a situation where one of the most visible men in the world is claiming to be Catholic, and yet espouses positions contrary to the most central tenets of the Catholic faith – the sanctity of life from conception until natural death? Many, of course, would prefer that the Church just ignore the whole situation. They say that John Kerry has a right to his own beliefs, that his voting record is none of the Church's business. But when he stands up and proclaims himself to be a Catholic, his voting record becomes the Church's business. Here's the problem: to proclaim oneself Catholic means something. It means that one adheres to a set of beliefs – the set of beliefs set forth in The Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is not a democracy. We believe that the Church was founded by Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit guides her official teachings. Someone who doesn't believe that has rejected the core tenet on which the Catholic Church is based. He or she has a right to reject that teaching. But, in doing so, that person has essentially rejected Catholicism. That person is then, by definition, no longer Catholic. Of course John Kerry has a right to his own beliefs. No one is suggesting otherwise. The Church is not threatening to lock him in a dungeon until he recants his position. But the Catholic Church has the right to proclaim her teachings, and the right to speak up when someone claims to be a faithful Catholic while publicly espousing positions that the are contrary to those teachings. And so several bishops have stated that John Kerry and other pro- abortion politicians should not receive communion. That seems to many to be a cruel and drastic measure. A group of Catholic congresspersons wrote a letter to Cardinal McCarrick, saying in part "We do not believe it is our role to legislate the teachings of the Catholic Church." Well, no – not exactly. No one is asking Catholic legislators to legally enshrine the doctrine of the Trinity or the validity of transubstantiation. But abortion is a different matter. It is the violent destruction of a vulnerable, defenseless human life. It is a matter of the violation of the most basic of civil rights. The Church has every right to say, "We can't stop you from promoting this evil. But we cannot and will not recognize you as a member in good standing of our Church." It occurs to me that many, if not most, of these very same legislators would have applauded a Church which, back in the '50's and '60's, would have denied communion to someone who publicly espoused racial bigotry. The legislator's letter warned the Church against mixing religion and "partisan politics." I have a problem with this on two levels. First of all, the Church has a right to a voice in the public square, just like any other person or group. Second – and far more important – is the fact that denying pro-abortion politicians communion is not primarily about politics. It is about saving souls. Voting for pro-abortion legislation is a public act. Receiving Christ in the Eucharist is also a public act – an act that means something profound in the Catholic world. We call it "communion" for a reason. To receive the Eucharist is a statement of communion – full participation and integration -- with Christ's Church. St. Paul warns us "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord." (1Cor 11:27) When politicians who have made public statements of support for abortion publicly receive communion, they further endanger their own souls. And, what's worse, they endanger the souls of other Catholics who see both of those public acts. It's called "scandal." If the Church doesn't speak out, she gives Catholics everywhere the impression that those two public acts are not contradictory. That endangers literally millions of souls. And saving souls is what the Church is all about.