Support Sen. Obama? No Communion for you!

[patgund]

For an 'Obamacon,' Communion Denied

"Word spread like wildfire in Catholic circles: Douglas Kmiec, a staunch Republican, firm foe of abortion and veteran of the Reagan Justice Department, had been denied Communion.

His sin? Kmiec, a Catholic who can cite papal pronouncements with the facility of a theological scholar, shocked old friends and adversaries alike earlier this year by endorsing Barack Obama for president. For at least one priest, Kmiec's support for a pro-choice politician made him a willing participant in a grave moral evil.

Kmiec was denied Communion in April at a Mass for a group of Catholic business people he later addressed at dinner. The episode has not received wide attention outside the Catholic world, but it is the opening shot in an argument that could have a large impact on this year's presidential campaign: Is it legitimate for bishops and priests to deny Communion to those supporting candidates who favor abortion rights?"

Comments

[tepintzin.livejournal.com]

"Is it legitimate for bishops and priests to deny Communion to those supporting candidates who favor abortion rights?"

This was already decided and the answer is no. Endorsing a candidate who is pro-choice is not a reason to deny communion because almost no candidate is going to be entirely pro-life. (Catholicism has a "seamless garment" approach that is anti-abortion, but also anti-death penalty, anti-war unless it passes the "just war" test, anti-euthanasia, etc.) So if this strict Republican chooses Obama *despite* his supporting legal abortion rather than *because* of it, he is theologically in the clear.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

*nods* While my days as a Catholic are far in the past, even I knew that much.

And the fact that the businessmen he was there to address apologized for the priest's actions tends to show that they knew it was bullshit too.

I applaud him for wanting to keep the priest's name private. But I do hope he filed an appropriate complaint with the Bishop who's supposed to supervise this priest. Or, failing that, a complaint with the IRS, as it seems someone got their politics in their religious duties.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Oh, and two interesting articles on it:

http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=27956

http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/?p=2000

Also "Communion as a Political Weapon"

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080524/NEWS/251170973/-1/NEWS03

"Kmiec said Catholic bloggers told him he had excommunicated himself for supporting Obama. Then, at a Mass before a dinner at which Kmiec was to speak, he said, 'a very angry college chaplain excoriated my Obama-heresy from the pulpit at length and then denied my receipt of communion.' "

Haven't we been over this?

[morgan-gw.livejournal.com]

I mean, we went through this four years ago with Kerry. Besides, I didn't see anyone denying communion to Giuliani supporters ;-).

Re: Haven't we been over this?

[patgund.livejournal.com]

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080524/NEWS/251170973/-1/NEWS03

[fionnbharro.livejournal.com]

Old news, and the answer is "No, it is not legitimate".

This was settled years and years ago (back in the eighties, I believe), and the priest is grandstanding.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Agreed and I'm hoping a complaint was filed with that priest's bishop - and perhaps the IRS