By Barbara Kralis
© 2004 Catholic Online

A surprising turn of events recently took place on the political scene. It may have gone unnoticed by most of the top analysts, politicos and pundits, but it has given many faithful Catholics a sign of hope. The man, Governor James E. McGreevey of New Jersey, deserves a little more of our attention. Here’s why.

Catholics have suffered from a 30 year old scandal of hundreds of pro-abortion ‘Catholic’ politicians, both in the U.S. Congress and in State and local legislatures, who defiantly rejected clearly defined Church teachings, some which are 2,000 years old, warning members not to receive the Eucharist unworthily or with mortal sin.

Over the past twenty years, several U.S. and world bishops have warned manifest, obstinate, persistent sinners not to come to the altar to receive sacrilegious Communion.

To date, none that we know of have obeyed their bishops but continued instead to give grave scandal to the church and its members.

None, that is, until Wednesday, May 5, 2004, when Newark’s Archbishop John J. Myers released a much needed pastoral statement, entitled, "A Time for Honesty."

In it, Myers wrote that Catholic politicians who support the right of a mother to abort the child in her womb should not seek Communion. The statement fell short of being promulgated as a ‘canonical notification’ but was nonetheless a powerful admonition.

Here’s the surprising event. On the same day, New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey, a pro-abortion ‘Catholic’ Democrat, actually said he would voluntarily refrain from taking Communion at Mass out of respect for his Archbishop.

Now, I’m not saying pro abortion, pro sodomite Gov. McGreevey is my hero, far from that. What I am pointing out is he is one of the few, if not the only one, to obey his bishop’s warning to stop receiving the Eucharist. And, he did it publicly, with humility.

Could this be the beginning of a conversion of conscience for Gov. McGreevey, the former altar boy? This could be the first step towards the Governor’s return to Christ and His Church?

With God, all things are possible.

McGreevey’s response, of course, was the only proper one. We remain sorrowful for his continued support for evil legislation.

Saints before McGreevey have also had to take their first steps back to Christ; St. Paul persecuted Christ’s Church and later became one of the greatest disciples. St. Augustine lived a sinful life of fornication and unbelief; he recanted his ways (thanks to the prayers of his mother, St. Monica), and became one of the great doctors of the Church. The number of those who returned to God is well documented in the lives of the Saints.

Will more pro-abortion legislators actually start obeying magisterial warnings against sacrilegious reception of the Eucharist?

It is more likely to happen if all the heads of the l96 U.S. dioceses will promulgate ‘canonical notifications’ in each of their dioceses, just as the good Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis did, while he was bishop of La Crosse, WI.

Archbishop Burke explained, “No good bishops could stand by and let this [sacrilegious reception of the Eucharist] happen. These public legislators are in grave sin.”

Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln initiated a similar action, a synodal law in l996 that has an automatic penalty of excommunication attached to it.[i] Recently, Bishop Bruskewitz issued another official statement saying he would deny the Eucharist to manifest, obstinate, persistent sinners and gave total support to Archbishop Burke’s ‘canonical notification.’ [ii]

Importantly, two of New Jersey's 4 other Latin Rite bishops, Bishops Smith of Trenton and Galante of Camden,[iii] have publicly supported Archbishop Myers in recent days, stating that they would deny the Governor the Eucharist. [iv]

Archbishop Myers urged that Catholic voters and Catholics in public life carefully consider their position if they find themselves in opposition to Church teaching in these matters.

Next, the Archbishop implored McGreevey and all dissenters to be honest and to admit in the public forum that they are not in full union with the Church and that they have abandoned the full Catholic faith.[v]

Shortly after the Archbishop released these pastoral statements, McGreevey admitted at a Trenton press briefing:

"The archbishop of Newark is clearly the leader of the Catholic community throughout the Archdiocese. I will respect the Archbishop's request."

I don’t know about you, but I’m writing the