It’s refreshing to see a member of the Catholic hierarchy taking the adjudication of Church doctrine seriously. Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, IL continues his juridical tour de force by publicly barring Democrat Senator Dick Durbin from receiving Holy Communion.
His Excellency wrote on the diocesan web site:
I agree completely with His Eminence, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, who called the U.S. Senate’s failure to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act “appalling.”
Fourteen Catholic senators voted against the bill that would have prohibited abortions starting at 20 weeks after fertilization, including Sen. Richard Durbin, whose residence is in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. In April 2004, Sen. Durbin’s pastor, then Msgr. Kevin Vann (now Bishop Kevin Vann of Orange, CA), said that he would be reticent to give Sen. Durbin Holy Communion because his pro-abortion position put him outside of communion or unity with the Church’s teachings on life. My predecessor, now Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha, said that he would support that decision. I have continued that position.
Canon 915 of the Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law states that those “who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.” In our 2004 Statement on Catholics in Political Life, the USCCB said, “Failing to protect the lives of innocent and defenseless members of the human race is to sin against justice. Those who formulate law therefore have an obligation in conscience to work toward correcting morally defective laws, lest they be guilty of cooperating in evil and in sinning against the common good.” Because his voting record in support of abortion over many years constitutes “obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin,” the determination continues that Sen. Durbin is not to be admitted to Holy Communion until he repents of this sin. This provision is intended not to punish, but to bring about a change of heart. Sen. Durbin was once pro-life. I sincerely pray that he will repent and return to being pro-life.
Bishop Paprocki has chosen the diligent exercise of his episcopal office over the praise and adulation of the world. He is 100 percent correct that denying Durbin communion is medicinal, not vindictive. Had Durbin been allowed to continue receiving the Eucharist while in a state of grave sin, he would have compounded his guilt by committing sacrilege each time.
Of course, Durbin may ignore the warning–I pray he doesn’t–but Paprocki can rest easy knowing he’s satisfied Ezekiel 3:19.
The other pro-infanticide senators’ bishops have no excuse. It’s their duty to excommunicate all thirteen for the sake of their immortal souls. That should get them primed to do likewise with every Catholic lawmaker in open rebellion against the Church.
I pity not all denominations of Christianity view abortion as a taboo. I know Presbyterianism (my democratic senator's church) is wishy washy on it.
Separating the sheep from the goats. Force them to choose a side, and make it public.
The bishop shows mercy and compassion as he obeys the Law.
Reaction? As we know, Proverbs 16:18.
Yes. How many claim to be Christians while holding positions and obstinately committing acts by virtue of which they de facto excommunicate themselves?
It is lawful, merciful, and necessary to point out to them that they have cut themselves off from the True Vine.
Brian
Excellent and i suspect that this has something to do with the Dubia. Also in yesterday's post, Father Z linked an article where Cardinal Sarah calls for communion rails and kneeling to get the Eucharist.
So i'm satisfied with the denial. Now for Canada's turn. It's down right evil for the govt to force companies to uphold abortion in order to get money to hire students for summer job
xavier
Yes, it is.
It's a start. Too bad there are not enough men like Paprocki in the the current clergy.
I long for the day when they will bar from Communion all socialists, aka progressives/leftists/liberals/democrats/communists of all stripes. Leo XIII, Pius XI, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II have all made it clear that you can't subscribe to both at the same time. It would finally clear out a lot of the chaff.
It may sound harsh, but a major stride will be made toward fixing the crisis in the Church when the Boomers in the hierarchy retire or die off. God save them!
Too true. May history remember them as the Locust Generation. My parents are rare conservative boomers, but even they struggle to see how bad they and the previous generation before them destroyed the West. My father is slowly coming around, with my goal being to get him to accept Jesus Christ and his Church.
I pray that your efforts help make your father well disposed to receive the grace of conversion.
Amen.