In the wake of the recent revelation concerning Patrick Kennedy's being asked to refrain from Holy Communion, numerous news reports contain misinformation. The facts are:
* Abortion - the killing of the unborn - is a grave sin, "a most serious and dangerous crime" according to Pope John Paul II. It is a sin which results in excommunication: "Can. 1398 A person who procures a completed abortion incurs a latae sententiae excommunication." Pope John Paul II also stated that "The excommunication affects all those who commit this crime with knowledge of the penalty attached, and thus includes those accomplices without whose help the crime would not have been committed."
* In the case of grave sin, Canon Law requires that obstinate public sinners be denied Holy Communion: "Can. 915 Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
* The head of the Catholic Church's "supreme court", Archbishop Raymond Burke, earlier this year confirmed to an anti-abortion activist that Canon 915 forbids administering Holy Communion to those publicly and obstinately in grave sin ("The Canon is completely clear, it is not subject in my judgment to any other interpretations") and said that laity should pressure their bishops and priests over the scandal of notorious sinners receiving Holy Communion ("I would encourage the faithful when they are scandalized by the giving of Holy Communion to persons [who] are publicly and obstinately in sin, that they go to their pastors, whether it’s their parish priest or to their bishop, to insist that this scandal stop").
* Scripture says those who receive Holy Communion unworthily "will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord" (St. Paul, 1 Cor. 11:27)
Those who claim to love Christ should object to the sacrilege of notorious public sinners daring to receive the Precious Body & Blood of Christ, not to a bishop's attempt to enforce Canon Law against such obstinate public sinners.
[Related Resource: The Holy Eucharist | Holy Eucharist / Mass Reflections]
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