John Kerry and other pro-abortion politicians get alot of ink on the communion issue. Another issue to consider is their involvement in secret societies like Skull&Bones or the Masons. That also puts them in a state of mortal or grave sin therefore ex-communicating themselves.
Membership in the Skull and Bones is the equivalent of belonging to a fraternity. There is no moral prohibition against being a member.
Catholics are discouraged from belonging to the Masons due to their anti-Catholic stance. Being a member is problematic, and could be sinful.
The longstanding prohibition for Catholics against being members of the Freemasons is much deeper than the name of the organization. Catholics are prohibited from joining any "secret society" because of the moral implications.
If modern bishops were to get their act together on this, it would be a benefit to many areas of society. Children would become aware that joining a "gang" is not tolerable as a Catholic because making secret promises to be subject to the moral guidance of someone whose interest is opposed to the Church's teaching is inherently a risk in such gangs.
It also applies to "professional associations" inasmuch as they are secretive about their rules and requirements, and demand of members a moral commitment without regard for the teachings of the Church.
Someone who joins a club that secretly demands that he commit sin is morally obliged to leave all association with that club. If his bishop doesn't explain that to him, the bishop is at fault, but the Catholic is also responsible to think for himself. If he has a doubt about whether he got good advice, he ought to go about looking for better guidance. He could come here to FR, for example, and see that there are other opinions going around, and by reading them he might find that he wants to know more.