Nearly 60 House Democrats oppose denial of communion to abortion supporters
A group of nearly 60 House Democrats signed a "Statement of Principles" opposing a plan by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to deny communion to lawmakers who support abortion rights. File Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI | License Photo
June 19 (UPI) -- Nearly 60 House Democrats signed a document opposing the Catholic church's plan to deny the sacrament to elected officials who support abortion rights.
In a "Statement of Principles" released on Friday, the lawmakers led by Reps. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.; Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, and Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., described the vote by Catholic bishops in favor of a proposal to deny some lawmakers the right to participate in the tradition as "weaponization of the eucharist."
The document states that government "has a moral purpose" and noted that the co-signers are committed to Catholic principles such as reducing poverty and increasing access to education and healthcare.
They also said they support a separation of church and state, noting lawmakers have not been denied access to the sacrament for other stances that clash with the church's teachings.
"No elected officials have been threatened with being denied the Eucharist as they support and have supported policies contrary to the Church teachings, including supporting the death penalty, separating migrant children from their parents, denying asylum to those seeking safety in the United States, limiting assistance for the hungry and food insecure and denying rights and dignity to immigrants," they wrote.
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., called the Catholic church "hypocrites" for not seeking to deny former Attorney General William Barr communion for expanding use of the death penalty in a tweet on Friday.
"You are being nakedly partisan and you should be ashamed. Another reason you are losing membership," he wrote.
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The statement came in response to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voting 168-55 with six abstentions in favor of drafting a document to examine the "meaning of the eucharist in the life of the church," earlier on Friday.
The bishops debate surrounding the eucharist comes as President Joe Biden, just the second Catholic to hold the office, proposed a healthcare plan that would expand access to contraception and abortion and restore funding to Planned Parenthood, during his campaign.
The statement came in response to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voting 168-55 with six abstentions in favor of drafting a document to examine the "meaning of the eucharist in the life of the church," earlier on Friday.
The bishops debate surrounding the eucharist comes as President Joe Biden, just the second Catholic to hold the office, proposed a healthcare plan that would expand access to contraception and abortion and restore funding to Planned Parenthood, during his campaign.
US Catholic bishops vote to approve new guidance on communion
Rev. Bob Evans gives communion to parishioners at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Maryland Heights, Missouri. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
June 18 (UPI) -- Catholic bishops on Friday voted to develop new guidelines on communion in a possible step toward denying the sacrament to elected officials such as President Joe Biden who support abortion rights.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, meeting virtually for its 2021 Spring General Assembly, voted 168-55 with six abstentions in favor of drafting a document to examine the "meaning of the eucharist in the life of the church."
The vote came following a lengthy and often emotional debate in which some bishops expressed strong reservations about the potential for the new guidelines to politicize the sacrament by denying it to Catholic politicians such as Biden who back abortion rights.
While campaigning for the presidency, Biden proposed a healthcare plan that would expand access to contraception and abortion and restore funding to Planned Parenthood. In addition, the plan sought to prevent states from passing laws to outlaw abortion.
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In a prerecorded opening statement, Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., chairman of the bishops' doctrine committee, said it was never their intention to "produce national norms for denying Catholics holy communion" but rather "to present a clear understanding as to why the church has these laws."
The proposed guidelines -- part of a larger effort to revive the institution of the eucharist among Catholics -- are also not meant as "a statement about any one individual or about any one category of sinful behavior," he added.
But Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, said there was "significant ambiguity" about the actual intention of the effort.
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"We have heard a number of bishops ... indicate, in fact, that it's time that we take a position with regard to these public officials receiving communion. So it's hard to know what direction you're going to go."
San Diego Archbishop Robert McElroy, meanwhile, warned that it will be "impossible to prevent [the eucharist's] weaponization, even if everyone wants to do so" and that it could become "a tool in vicious partisan turmoil."
If the church legitimizes "public policy-based exclusion" from communion, McElroy said, "we'll invite all political animosity into the heart of the Eucharistic celebration."
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The vote allows the bishops' doctrine committee to proceed with drafting the document and present it for discussion when the bishops reconvene in person in Novembe
Rev. Bob Evans gives communion to parishioners at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Maryland Heights, Missouri. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
June 18 (UPI) -- Catholic bishops on Friday voted to develop new guidelines on communion in a possible step toward denying the sacrament to elected officials such as President Joe Biden who support abortion rights.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, meeting virtually for its 2021 Spring General Assembly, voted 168-55 with six abstentions in favor of drafting a document to examine the "meaning of the eucharist in the life of the church."
The vote came following a lengthy and often emotional debate in which some bishops expressed strong reservations about the potential for the new guidelines to politicize the sacrament by denying it to Catholic politicians such as Biden who back abortion rights.
While campaigning for the presidency, Biden proposed a healthcare plan that would expand access to contraception and abortion and restore funding to Planned Parenthood. In addition, the plan sought to prevent states from passing laws to outlaw abortion.
RELATED Catholic bishops to consider communion guidance over abortion views
In a prerecorded opening statement, Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., chairman of the bishops' doctrine committee, said it was never their intention to "produce national norms for denying Catholics holy communion" but rather "to present a clear understanding as to why the church has these laws."
The proposed guidelines -- part of a larger effort to revive the institution of the eucharist among Catholics -- are also not meant as "a statement about any one individual or about any one category of sinful behavior," he added.
But Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, said there was "significant ambiguity" about the actual intention of the effort.
RELATED States challenge religious exemption for contractors in hiring, firing
"We have heard a number of bishops ... indicate, in fact, that it's time that we take a position with regard to these public officials receiving communion. So it's hard to know what direction you're going to go."
San Diego Archbishop Robert McElroy, meanwhile, warned that it will be "impossible to prevent [the eucharist's] weaponization, even if everyone wants to do so" and that it could become "a tool in vicious partisan turmoil."
If the church legitimizes "public policy-based exclusion" from communion, McElroy said, "we'll invite all political animosity into the heart of the Eucharistic celebration."
RELATED Biden expands ACA, Medicaid access, protects women's health rights
The vote allows the bishops' doctrine committee to proceed with drafting the document and present it for discussion when the bishops reconvene in person in Novembe
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