I’d want to know which bishops have given what kind of consideration, or taken what kind of action, against the likes of Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and our local Kathy Houcul in NY, before I would feel comfortable believing that any bishops (or any other Catholics for that matter) who are raising questions about JD Vance’s pro-life stance, in relation to his suitability to receive communion, are asking these questions for anything other than political and perhaps retaliatory reasons. It’s outrageous to suggest that Vance may not be pro-life enough to receive communion when near half the nation’s Catholics seem to be still pro-abortion and by and large the Catholic Church in USA leaves it up to fringe, lay pro-life groups to try to move the needle on helping the church and the culture to deepen our conviction that abortion is a serious plague on our nation. In other words, I would see it as extremely hypocritical if many US Bishops are suspicious or accusatory of Vance. That to me would be more of a sign that perhaps the Bishops in question are willing to stall and attack the progress of the pro-life movement. No matter what his recent campaign rhetoric, Trump did more in his first 4 years than the church hierarchy here has done in the last 50 to oppose and change institutional abortion rights in this country. Read past the rhetoric, JD is a sure pro-life choice by Trump and a sure threat to anyone siding with the progressive agenda, that perhaps some of our bishops have grown too comfortable siding up to in this nation. In fact, I take it as another good sign if it turns out to be some of the left leaning bishops in our country who feel threatened by Vance. Come Holy Spirit, work in mysterious ways, break the bondage our country has been under for far too long! Amen!
Hi Peter, thanks for being a subscriber and I appreciate your comment. I agree that on the abortion issue, the differences between Trump/Vance and Biden/Harris are stark. Biden/Harris actively tried to expand abortion access whereas Trump/Vance appears to want and take a hands-off approach. The JD Vance question is not a matter of a pro-life scale but rather a question of whether or not he will use his office to defend life. The first Trump administration did do great good but appointing solid constitutionalists to SCOTUS who rightly found that Roe v Wade and Planned Parenthood v Casey were wrongly decided. But as faithful Christians and Catholics, we are all striving towards sanctity. That means that whatever good we have done in the past does not justify acts bad acts in the present or future. I hope and pray, as I am sure you do, that the incoming Trump/Vance administration will do their best to promote the sanctity of life and restrict access to abortion and mifepristone. At the same time, until there is action taken (because Trump/Vance will undoubtedly be different from Trump/Pence), I have to take their words during the campaign at face value; hopefully, I will be proved wrong.
For the record, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco did restrict former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reception of the Eucharist. If I recall, he said he had attempted to engage in dialogue with her and she resisted. Similarly, other California bishops said they would honor his directive in San Francisco. As for Biden, a few priests here and there have publicly refused him the Eucharist. The ecclesial issue there is the question as to which bishop is the appropriate pastor to approach the president; is it the Archbishop of Washington or the bishop of diocese of residence? I do recall Cardinal Wilton Gregory on Face the Nation recently saying he had attempted conversations with President Biden and said that it is clear he is a cafeteria Catholic. I also recall Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, IL barring several state politicians from reception of the Eucharist over their support of abortion back in 2019. To be clear, anyone who publicly opposes Church teaching (particularly on the life issue) and receives the Eucharist creates scandal and our bishops and fellow Catholics need our prayers.
Thanks again for being a subscriber and taking the time to comment.
I’d want to know which bishops have given what kind of consideration, or taken what kind of action, against the likes of Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and our local Kathy Houcul in NY, before I would feel comfortable believing that any bishops (or any other Catholics for that matter) who are raising questions about JD Vance’s pro-life stance, in relation to his suitability to receive communion, are asking these questions for anything other than political and perhaps retaliatory reasons. It’s outrageous to suggest that Vance may not be pro-life enough to receive communion when near half the nation’s Catholics seem to be still pro-abortion and by and large the Catholic Church in USA leaves it up to fringe, lay pro-life groups to try to move the needle on helping the church and the culture to deepen our conviction that abortion is a serious plague on our nation. In other words, I would see it as extremely hypocritical if many US Bishops are suspicious or accusatory of Vance. That to me would be more of a sign that perhaps the Bishops in question are willing to stall and attack the progress of the pro-life movement. No matter what his recent campaign rhetoric, Trump did more in his first 4 years than the church hierarchy here has done in the last 50 to oppose and change institutional abortion rights in this country. Read past the rhetoric, JD is a sure pro-life choice by Trump and a sure threat to anyone siding with the progressive agenda, that perhaps some of our bishops have grown too comfortable siding up to in this nation. In fact, I take it as another good sign if it turns out to be some of the left leaning bishops in our country who feel threatened by Vance. Come Holy Spirit, work in mysterious ways, break the bondage our country has been under for far too long! Amen!
Hi Peter, thanks for being a subscriber and I appreciate your comment. I agree that on the abortion issue, the differences between Trump/Vance and Biden/Harris are stark. Biden/Harris actively tried to expand abortion access whereas Trump/Vance appears to want and take a hands-off approach. The JD Vance question is not a matter of a pro-life scale but rather a question of whether or not he will use his office to defend life. The first Trump administration did do great good but appointing solid constitutionalists to SCOTUS who rightly found that Roe v Wade and Planned Parenthood v Casey were wrongly decided. But as faithful Christians and Catholics, we are all striving towards sanctity. That means that whatever good we have done in the past does not justify acts bad acts in the present or future. I hope and pray, as I am sure you do, that the incoming Trump/Vance administration will do their best to promote the sanctity of life and restrict access to abortion and mifepristone. At the same time, until there is action taken (because Trump/Vance will undoubtedly be different from Trump/Pence), I have to take their words during the campaign at face value; hopefully, I will be proved wrong.
For the record, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco did restrict former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reception of the Eucharist. If I recall, he said he had attempted to engage in dialogue with her and she resisted. Similarly, other California bishops said they would honor his directive in San Francisco. As for Biden, a few priests here and there have publicly refused him the Eucharist. The ecclesial issue there is the question as to which bishop is the appropriate pastor to approach the president; is it the Archbishop of Washington or the bishop of diocese of residence? I do recall Cardinal Wilton Gregory on Face the Nation recently saying he had attempted conversations with President Biden and said that it is clear he is a cafeteria Catholic. I also recall Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, IL barring several state politicians from reception of the Eucharist over their support of abortion back in 2019. To be clear, anyone who publicly opposes Church teaching (particularly on the life issue) and receives the Eucharist creates scandal and our bishops and fellow Catholics need our prayers.
Thanks again for being a subscriber and taking the time to comment.
Matthew