Posted on 10/10/2002 6:17:10 PM PDT by Flying Circus
PRIEST REFUSES COMMUNION TO KNEELING PRO-LIFE POLITICIAN Calls Pro-Life Delegate a "Conservative Idiot"
ARLINGTON, VA, October 10, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Honorable Richard Black, member of the Virginia House of Delegates and a heroic defender of life and family in the state legislature, was refused Holy Communion at Arlington's St. Thomas More Cathedral. On September 22, the Cathedral Rector, Fr. Dominic Irace refused to give Communion to Delegate Black since Black was kneeling to receive. Fr. Irace told him he must stand to receive but Black chose to rather to genuflect and withdraw.
In a letter of concern to Arlington Bishop Paul Loverde, Catholic pro-life activist Dr. Joseph Strada, wrote: "This affront to Delegate Black, and his family, is doubly shameful because Delegate Black is, without question, the most courageous defender of the innocent unborn on the floor of the House of Delegates in Richmond. One has to wonder if Fr. Irace would have been so bold as to refuse Holy Communion to Senator Ted Kennedy or other militantly pro-abortion "Catholic" politicians who regularly attend Mass in Arlington churches."
After Mass, and in the presence of Black's wife and daughter as well as other faithful, Fr. Irace shouted insults to Delegate Black as he exited the Cathedral. When Delegate Black tried to avoid Fr. Irace, pointing out that he had refused him Holy Communion, Fr. Irace shouted "you liar!" several times. As Delegate Black left the Cathedral, Fr. Irace loudly called him a "conservative idiot."
In an interview with LifeSite, Delegate Black said that while he has been under tense situations in combat for his country and in the war-like political realm, he was concerned for other faithful Catholics who may be intimidated by Fr. Irace.
To express your concerns:
Bishop Loverde: The Most Reverend Paul S. Loverde Diocese of Arlington 200 North Glebe Road, Suite 914 Arlington, VA 22203 Or email family life office at r.laird@arlingtondiocese.org
Delegate Richard Black 20978 Flatboat Court Sterling, VA 20165 (703) 406-2951 fax: (703) 450-2076 mail@delegateblack.com
See Joseph Strada's letter to the Bishop: http://www.rcf.org/docs/strada01.htm
(More pro-life news at www.lifesite.net)
For those of you with access to a law library, the case is cited as R. v. Skoke-Graham [1985] 1 S.C.R. 106.
Fr. Irace's response was, “I’ve never dealt with anything like this. In this Diocese we’ve never had anything really serious like that happen.. .1 tell people that it’s almost like voodoo in a way. If you don’t believe in it, it can’t hurt you.”
Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Kneeling has always been considered a sign of reverence. Up until Second Vatican Council II (1965), communion was distributed on the tongue to those kneeling at the communion rail. That rule was modified to allow the distribution of communion in the hand to standing communicants.
Recently, the USCCB (US Catholic Conference of Bishops) announced:
"The U.S. bishops' Committee on the Liturgy has said that Catholics should not ordinarily receive Communion while kneeling."
It is nothing but the opinion of a small group of bishops -- a committee. Tremendous grief and problems have arisen in the last 30 years because of the "authority" unjustifiably accorded (by individual bishops, priests, and laymen) to statements of mere committees -- particularly this notorious Liturgy Committee (and its 1970s document on art and architecture, for example). A committee has NO power whatsoever, except to propose its opinion to the entire bishops' conference. This was later clarified to state that NO catholic can be refused communion if they choose to kneel.
Obviously, Fr Irace was wrong to refuse communion to Mr. Black.
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