By Barbara Kralis
© Catholic Online 2004

We have watched Cardinal George in Chicago and Cardinal McCarrick in Washington D.C. rightfully deny Holy Communion to manifest sodomites wearing Rainbow sashes.  However, the Cardinals have said that they will not deny Holy Communion to manifest pro-abortion politicians. [1]

Is not murder just as evil as lust in the eyes of God?[2]

Code of Canon Law c. 915 requires that all those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sins are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.  So, why deny public gays but not public pro-abortion politicians?[3]

Frances Kissling, President of the excommunicated group ‘Catholics for a Free Choice’ is pleased that most American Bishops have taken her pro-abortion side that murder is not a grave sin. [4]

"It would seem that the most interesting aspect of the current debate is the tacit admission by many bishops that to be pro choice on the legality of abortion is neither a grave sin nor a cause for denying Communion.  Perhaps there is some hope for the church after all," said Kissling.  [5]

Dear Cardinals, with all due respect, just whose side are you on?

In addition to this disturbing paradox, there are several other evils ensuing alongside the permitting of sacrilegious reception of the Eucharist.

Firstly, when the ministers of the Eucharist [6]admit to Holy Communion those who are engaged in conduct that is gravely, manifestly and obstinately sinful, they are surely obscuring and possibly destroying the sacred ‘sign of the Eucharist.’  Here is why this is a most serious matter.

The ‘sacred invisible reality’ exists in Holy Communion, specifically Our Lord Jesus Christ’s body, blood, soul and divinity.  However, there is also an ‘appearance’ of the Eucharist.  I am referring to the significance, or the meaning, or the ‘sign of the Eucharist.’ [7]

The Church teaches that the Eucharist is a proclamation of the Kingdom of God.[8]

When the minister of the Eucharist gives Holy Communion to a person in the state of grace, he proclaims the kingdom of God.  This is because the Eucharist is a sign of the unity of the Church with Jesus Christ in faith and morals.  [9]

However, when the minister of the Eucharist gives Holy Communion to a manifest public sinner, such as publicly known pro-abortion politicians or anyone who publicly supports same sex marriages, the minister is cooperating in fracturing the unity of the Church, the ‘sign of the Eucharist’ by which the Church proclaims the kingdom of God.

In doing this, the minister is actively participating in evil. [10]

He does this by cooperating with those who are silencing the proclamation of the kingdom of God [11] and proclaiming the kingdom of the world, a world that embraces murder and lust.

This cooperation in evil is itself undoubtedly a grave sin. [12]

Secondly, these Cardinals also need to be careful that they are not violating a civil law in this matter.

When they give Holy Communion to well known pro-abortion politicians but not to explicit ‘gays,’ are they not discriminating against ‘gays?’  Cannot this lead to a charge of denial of civil rights and the dropping of the tax-exempt status of the Church?

Is it not better to refuse all public sinners, as c. 915 requires?  At least civil society cannot condemn the Church for discriminating or showing favoritism among grave, public sinners.

Thirdly, just a short while ago, some priests refused to give Holy Communion to Catholics who were explicitly adoring the Blessed Sacrament by genuflecting before receiving Holy Communion or kneeling to receive Holy Communion. Hardly a peep was heard from Cardinals and bishops when this happened. [13]

No one seemed concerned that priests were refusing to give Holy Communion to people who were explicitly adoring Jesus Christ before receiving Him.

Yet, ...