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Posted on 05/20/2009 1:25:09 PM PDT by wagglebee
ST. LOUIS, Missouri, May 20, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - As he prepares to take the helm of the St. Louis diocese, a position formerly held by Archbishop Raymond Burke before he was transferred to the Vatican, Archbishop-elect Robert Carlson has said he agrees with his predecessor's take on Church law, specifically that pro-abortion Catholic politicians must be denied Communion if they refuse to repent.
The St. Louis Dispatch Sunday interviewed Carlson, the current bishop of Saginaw, MI, who will be installed as St. Louis' archbishop June 10. They asked: "Do you believe Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, and who persist in doing so even after consultation with their bishop, should be denied the Eucharist if they approach to receive it?"
Carlson answered: "If I were to enter into dialogue with somebody, and after they reflect on the discussion and that person persisted, it could come to that point."
The Saginaw bishop said Archbishop Burke, who is now the head of the Apostolic Signatura in Rome, "has combined in an interesting way [canon law], and I think he does it correctly."
In February, Burke told LifeSiteNews.com that "there's not a question" whether a publicly pro-abortion politician could be admitted to Communion. According to Canon 915, "Those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to Holy Communion."
"The Church's law is very clear," Burke said. "The person who persists publicly in grave sin is to be denied Holy Communion, and it [canon law] doesn't say that the bishop shall decide this. It's an absolute."
Carlson noted that Burke is "not just speaking anymore as the archbishop of St. Louis, he is the prefect of the Signatura."
"It appears that's the direction the church consensus is moving towards," said Carlson. "Could we get into that situation? Yes. But at least in my own time in St. Louis, I'd like to have a crack at the dialogue first."
Questions surrounding Church law on the matter were recently stirred by remarks given by Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., who said earlier this month that he would not deny Communion to the steadfastly pro-abortion House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Wuerl said his policy stemmed from an unwillingness to wield Communion as a "weapon." (http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050613.html)
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Canon Law Prof Confronts DC Archbishop Wuerl on Refusal to Deny Communion to Pro-Abortion Politicians
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050809.html
Archbishop Wuerl Refuses to Deny Communion to Pro-Abortion Speaker Pelosi
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050613.html
Vatican Official: Bishops Have no Choice But to Refuse Communion to Pro-Abort Politicians
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09020402.html
Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion. General Principles
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/apr/050419a.html
Carlson noted that Burke is "not just speaking anymore as the archbishop of St. Louis, he is the prefect of the Signatura."
"It appears that's the direction the church consensus is moving towards," said Carlson. "Could we get into that situation? Yes. But at least in my own time in St. Louis, I'd like to have a crack at the dialogue first."
While it would be wonderful to see pro-abortion politicians repenting, it is high time that the unrepentant ones were publicly punished for their positions.
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Betcha Claire McKaskill (D-Missouri) doesn’t get booted from my parish in St. Louis...big talk...no action
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Nobody is suggesting that ANYONE be denied the right to attend Mass, we are simply talking about receiving the Eucharist.
Yep. Time for a winnowing wind to blow the chaff out.
The same position should be held for those Catholics who vote for a politician who supports abortion.
Yeah, anyone can attend a Mass. It’s the public prayer of the Church after all.
And he has the charitable attitude first: take the role of teacher, make sure that he gives the politician a chance to understand the consequences of his / her actions, and then take the action.
That’s great.
I would far rather see people like Pelosi and Biden repent than be denied the Eucharist.
I think we’re going to like him a lot. I’m already in his camp.
Sometimes I wonder about these bishops. Wuerl knows perfectly well that by taking communion in a state of mortal sin, the politician is "eating and drinking damnation unto himself."
Therefore Wuerl is helping his parishioners to hell.
"The floor of Hell is paved with the skulls of bishops."
- variously attributed to St. John Eudes, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Athanasius.
Excellent point!
Now you wonder if that weasel archbishop Wuerl in D.C. would honor the St Louis archbishop. Of course not.
Well (and I'm not defending Wuerl here, just being a little introspective),
If you think about it, how many of us have screamed because we were offended by their actions? As if we were trespassed on by them receiving communion? How many of ourselves (myself included) have the attitude "Good. You got yours you CINO B**CH" when reading this article, rather than seeing this as an opportunity for that politician to reconcile him / herself with the Christ? Be honest, now.
And, face it, Canon 915 is NOT, repeat NOT penal in nature (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). You don't *penalize* somebody by not admitting them to communion.
The point is that Communion shouldn't be wielded as a weapon. (Even excommunication is considered a "medicinal" penalty...designed to bring the sinner to repentence)
But, even with a charitable attitude, Wuerl is still falling down on the job:
Can. 383 §1. In exercising the function of a pastor, a diocesan bishop is to show himself concerned for all the Christian faithful entrusted to his care, of whatever age, condition, or nationality they are, whether living in the territory or staying there temporarily; he is also to extend an apostolic spirit to those who are not able to make sufficient use of ordinary pastoral care because of the condition of their life and to those who no longer practice their religion.
Can. 386 §1. A diocesan bishop, frequently preaching in person, is bound to propose and explain to the faithful the truths of the faith which are to be believed and applied to morals. He is also to take care that the prescripts of the canons on the ministry of the word, especially those on the homily and catechetical instruction, are carefully observed so that the whole Christian doctrine is handed on to all.
§2. Through more suitable means, he is firmly to protect the integrity and unity of the faith to be believed, while nonetheless acknowledging a just freedom in further investigating its truths.
Can. 392 §1. Since he must protect the unity of the universal Church, a bishop is bound to promote the common discipline of the whole Church and therefore to urge the observance of all ecclesiastical laws.
§2. He is to exercise vigilance so that abuses do not creep into ecclesiastical discipline, especially regarding the ministry of the word, the celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of God and the veneration of the saints, and the administration of goods.
So don't get me wrong, I am not defending his actions, they clearly fall short. But he is right in what he says, that Communion should not be wielded as a weapon.
He does need to intercede with the politicians in question (perhaps the next Red Mass would be an opportune time) and to clearly explain Church Law and the Holy Word of God that backs it up, explaining that those politicians put their souls at risk by persisting in their actions while continuing to receive communion.
Don't worry, though. I'm not holding my breath.
Actually, he has stated that he will honor Archbishop Naumann (KC KS) in his decision to bar Sebelius from communion.
But, regardless, it's Wuerl's job, per Canon Law:
Can. 100 A person is said to be: a resident (incola) in the place where the person has a domicile; a temporary resident (advena) in the place where the person has a quasi-domicile; a traveler (peregrinus) if the person is outside the place of a domicile or quasi-domicile which is still retained; a transient (vagus) if the person does not have a domicile or quasi- domicile anywhere.
Can. 101 §1. The place of origin of a child, even of a neophyte, is that in which the parents had a domicile or, lacking that, a quasi-domicile when the child was born or, if the parents did not have the same domicile or quasi-domicile, that of the mother.
§2. In the case of a child of transients, the place of origin is the actual place of birth; in the case of an abandoned child, it is the place where the child was found.
Can. 102 §1. Domicile is acquired by that residence within the territory of a certain parish or at least of a diocese, which either is joined with the intention of remaining there permanently unless called away or has been protracted for five complete years.
§2. Quasi-domicile is acquired by residence within the territory of a certain parish or at least of a diocese, which either is joined with the intention of remaining there for at least three months unless called away or has in fact been protracted for three months.
Can. 383 §1. In exercising the function of a pastor, a diocesan bishop is to show himself concerned for all the Christian faithful entrusted to his care, of whatever age, condition, or nationality they are, whether living in the territory or staying there temporarily; he is also to extend an apostolic spirit to those who are not able to make sufficient use of ordinary pastoral care because of the condition of their life and to those who no longer practice their religion.
A politician would fall into the category of resident or temporary resident. Per Canon 383, it's Wuerl's job (at least as long as the politician is in DC)
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