Devil in the Details

In mid June, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) weighed in on the growing controversy about whether bishops should deny Communion, one of the Church's holiest rites, to politicians.

"The question has been raised as to whether the denial of Holy Communion to some Catholics in political life is necessary because of their public support for abortion on demand. Given the wide range of circumstances involved in arriving at a prudential judgment on a matter of this seriousness, we recognize that such decisions rest with the individual bishop in accord with the established canonical and pastoral principles."

Translation? Each Bishop has the right to deny Communion. The devil, if I may use that word, is in the details.

Church doctrine clearly states that those who have committed morally grave (mortal) sins and who have not confessed and repented for those sins should not participate in Communion. In April 2004 the Vatican reaffirmed that principle, "anyone who is conscious of grave sin should not celebrate or receive the Body of the Lord without prior sacramental confession..."

However, the active denial of Communion is very rare in modern times. As Reverend Thomas Reese, editor for America, a Catholic Magazine commented, this "is a new and really, a very unusual development."

Traditionally, Church leaders have left the decision to participate to the individual. As Cardinal William H. Keeler of Baltimore recently observed, "Catholics have a responsibility to examine their own conscience and see if they are in a state that is appropriate for the reception of the sacrament." Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C. adds, "As a priest and bishop, I do not favor a confrontation at the altar rail with the Sacred Body of the Lord Jesus in my hand."

Those who favor a more active intervention argue that if the Church does not sanction violators it, in effect, condones their behavior. This undermines the integrity and moral authority of the Church. For them the question is not whether to sanction, but when and for what type of behavior. And here the details become much more devilish.

In 2004, U.S. bishops have denied Communion for a wide variety of sins. Bishop Joseph Galante of Camden denied Communion to New Jersey Governor James McGreevey because McGreevey had been divorced and remarried without receiving a church annulment of his first marriage. In the eyes of the Church, he is committing adultery. The newly appointed archbishop of St. Louis, Raymond Burke ordered priests within his diocese to refuse Communion to Catholic politicians who support a woman's right to abortion. Colorado Springs Bishop Michael Sheridan went further by declaring his intention to deny Communion to, "Any Catholic politicians who advocate for abortion, for illicit stem cell research or any form of euthanasia...", and to extend the sanction to, "Any Catholics who vote for candidates that stand for abortion, stem cell research or euthanasia..."

How do we weigh the comparative gravity of mortal sins? For example, preemptive war clearly violates Church doctrine and often results in the death of thousands of innocents. If a politician opposes preemptive war but supports early term abortions, should sanctions be applied? Should they be applied if the reverse were true?

Much of the current activism in the Catholic Church focuses on sins that violate Church doctrine regarding the sanctity of life. In his 1995 encyclical, Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), Pope John Paul II laid out the Church's definition of "pro-life" behavior. His starting point was the Didache, the most ancient non-biblical Christian writing. The Didache explores the differences between "a way of life and a way of death." "The way of death is this...they show no compassion for the poor, they do not suffer with the suffering, they do not acknowledge their Creator, they kill their children and cause God's creatures to perish; they drive away the needy, oppress the suffering, they are advocates of the rich and unjust judges of the poor; they are filled with every sin." Thus the Didache teaches us that to evaluate whether an individual is pro-life depends on far more than his or her position on abortion.