Cardinal seeks meeting with Giuliani

Giuliani has long opposed efforts to limit access to abortion and supported state funding of abortions for poor women in New York.

NEW YORK (CNS) - New York Cardinal Edward M. Egan will request a meeting with Rudolph Giuliani, saying in a statement he deeply regretted that the former New York mayor received Communion during a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at St. Patrick's Cathedral April 19.

A statement issued by Cardinal Egan April 28 said that when he first came to the archdiocese and Giuliani was mayor the two of them "had an understanding ... that he was not to receive the Eucharist because of his well-known support of abortion."

Giuliani has long opposed efforts to limit access to abortion and supported state funding of abortions for poor women in New York. He was widely described as a pro-choice candidate during his run for president that ended earlier this year.

Cardinal Egan's statement said he would be "seeking a meeting with him to insist that he abide by our understanding."

Giuliani was among guests invited to attend the Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral celebrated by Pope Benedict. The Mass was described as being for clergy, deacons and religious, although there were other invited guests including Giuliani and current Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is Jewish.

Giuliani told reporters as he left the Mass that he had received Communion.

Cardinal Egan's statement said "the Catholic Church clearly teaches that abortion is a grave offense against the will of God. Throughout my years as archbishop of New York, I have repeated this teaching in sermons, articles, addresses and interviews without hesitation or compromise of any kind

---

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops