This week, the Vatican took a few shots across the bows of the USA bishops, some of whom want to ban people like President Joe Biden from receiving Holy Communion.
In the Biden case, it is because he does not accept a total abortion ban.
Personally, I have been refused Holy Communion publicly twice in my life.
The first time was in Belfast in 1987 when I attended Mass celebrated by the SSPX founder Archbishop Le Lefebvre.
He told me it was because I “was a public sinner and disobedient to the church” 🤡
The second time it was by Phonsie in Waterford at Monsignor Shine’s funeral.
CAREFUL!
I think that we should be very careful about refusing Holy Communion to anyone.
In the end, God is the only one competent to decide whether a person is worthy or not.
We judge by externals.
God tells us he judges by what is in the heart.
Those who outwardly appear to be sinners, might not be.
And those who outwardly appear to be saints might not be either.
Of course, we are allowed to judge people’s actions as being good or bad actions, genuine or hypocritical actions rtc.
But we do not always get it right when we judge motivations and intentions.
I’m sure if there had been Holy Communion in Jesus’ day the Pharisees etc would have refused it to him.
The American bishops want to refuse Biden Communion over the abortion issue.
And, quite rightly, the Vatican has told the bishops not to reduce the wide Catholic faith to the “Life Battle”.
It seems in many RC quarters the abortion issue has become the RC touchstone.
The Life issue is indeed very important.
But it is not the whole of morality.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 