"Biden’s communion denial highlights faith-politics conflict." Artcle shows polarized reactions to his denial of communion last year

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pnewton said:
I do not see how canon law applies.
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Can. 915 Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.

Given that we are explicitly told:

A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who favors a policy promoting an intrinsically evil act, such as abortion… if the voter’s intent is to support that position. In such cases, a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. (USCCB, Faithful Citizenship)

It seems pretty clear that if voting for a candidate because he supports abortion is wrong then it is at least equally wrong of the candidate to hold that position. For a Catholic politician to publicly and repeatedly maintain that position satisfies the criteria of Canon 915: obstinate, persevering, manifest, and grave sin. That many bishops refuse to enforce this canon is the scandal.
 
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The reference to canon law was relevant to excommunication, not a priest, in this case, denying communion.
 
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pnewton said:
The reference to canon law was relevant to excommunication, not a priest, in this case, denying communion.
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No, it absolutely applies to denying communion, which is why I highlighted the part identifying those who “are not to be admitted to holy communion.” That applies to those who were excommunicated “and others….” Biden (Pelosi, Kennedy, et al) surely belong in the “and others” group.
 
Biden speaks regularly about his Catholic faith, and his formation as a young person by Catholic schools.

He absolutely wants the Catholic vote; and wants Catholics to believe he’s a good Catholic.

Yet his behavior is completely against Catholic teaching in so many prominent, public ways (which cause additional damage through scandal):
  • Says he will go after the Little Sisters of the Poor again, to force contraceptive care into their health plans
  • Supports and votes for abortion on demand, without any restrictions
  • Presided over a so-called gay wedding
  • Now supports repealing the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits tax-payer supported abortion; even though he always supported it as a senator, this year changed his mind during the primary season so as to not be the only Democrat running who supported it
How could any Catholic claim to be a good one while being so controlled by, and beholden to, the abortion lobby?

Deacon Christopher
 
Diaconia said:
How could any Catholic claim to be a good one while being so controlled by, and beholden to, the abortion lobby?
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One possibility is that he does not believe he is controlled by or beholden to the abortion lobby. If he is only intending to be a single term president, then he may not be.
 
Then why change his support of the Hyde Amendment mid-primary?

Was his support of it for 40+ years incorrect? Or does he need the blessing of Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and all the other death-merchants?

Was he afraid to be the only Democrat running in the primary that stuck to his guns and said, “no taxpayer funds for abortion?”

He folded like a cheap suit; at the directions of the abortion lobby.

There are 60 million-plus reasons why Joe Biden shouldn’t be elected President,

Deacon Christopher
 
Diaconia said:
Then why change his support of the Hyde Amendment mid-primary?
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I was answering the question of how he might not be beholden to abortion supporters. I do not presume to answer "why’ questions of others. All I know, and I know little to be sure, is that what I have heard Biden say about abortion has always been guarded, that is, some what indirect. There is a good chance we will see how this plays out in the future.
 
Diaconia said:
There are 60 million-plus reasons why Joe Biden shouldn’t be elected President,
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Joe Biden’s pro-abortion historical record is loud and clear, for those who care to know:
  • Biden’s voting record on pro-life issues was almost zero from 2001 to 2008, according to the National Right to Life Committee.
  • Voted NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion. (Mar 2008)
  • Voted NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
  • Voted NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)
  • Voted NO on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
  • Voted NO on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)
  • selected the most liberal extremist Senator according to govtrackinsider, Kamala Harris, as his running mate. Harris has a 0% pro-life voting record, according to National Right To Life Committee
  • supports the current policy of abortion on demand
  • voted for the Harkin Amendment to endorse Roe v. Wade, permits abortion for any reason.
  • voted for taxpayer funding of overseas pro-abortion organizations
  • stated that he will eliminate the conscience protection exemption from the Little Sisters of the Poor
 
If I were in charge of distributing Holy Communion, I would not have let Biden receive, either. It’s one thing not to understand a Church teaching, it’s another to flat out deny it.
 
I agree. Joe Biden cannot claim ignorance when even he himself claims to be connected to the Catholic Church most of his life. The Sixth Commandment. In addition, promoting abortion as a good thing is going against science.
 
Ender said:
denying communion
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It’s good to see the refusal of Communion. Priests and Bishops are well aware that they will be attacked viciously by leftist media when they openly oppose abortion and the left. Just look at Fr. James Altman.
 
1cthlctrth said:
It’s good to see the refusal of Communion. Priests and Bishops are well aware that they will be attacked viciously by leftist media when they openly oppose abortion and the left. Just look at Fr. James Altman.
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The reading for today was the beatitudes. Perhaps if more of them took to heart the one saying: “Blessed are they who are persecuted for my sake.…” the denial of communion would be more common, as well as considerably less controversial.
 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1801 Conscience can remain in ignorance or make erroneous judgments. Such ignorance and errors are not always free of guilt.
1802 The Word of God is a light for our path. We must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. This is how moral conscience is formed.

We have an obligation to try to form a good conscience.
 
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