Sixty Catholic Congressmen (all Democrats) sent a “statement of principles” to American Catholic Bishops on Friday, demanding that they do not prohibit pro-abortion politicians from receiving Communion.
Democrats’ shocking letter comes in response to a vote by the majority of U.S. bishops who agreed to create a formal document that could deny the Eucharist to lawmakers publicly defying Church teaching.
“We have a claim on the Church’s bearing as it does on ours,” the congressmen wrote in a statement.
According to Religion News, Sylvia Garcia of Texas was one of the primary organizers of the letter, which included six total Texas signatories:
- Sylvia Garcia (Houston)
- Veronica Escobar (El Paso)
- Grace F. Napolitano (Brownsville)
- Henry Cuellar (Laredo)
- Joaquin Castro (San Antonio)
- Filemon Vela (Brownsville)
Joe Biden himself also responded to today’s news about whether he’s concerned he’ll be denied Communion, saying “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
Earlier, nine of Texas’ 15 bishops signed a letter asking the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to avoid the issue at this week’s annual meeting.
Communion is one of the highest forms of participation in the Catholic faith and is considered by Catholics to be the ultimate act of union with God and His Church on earth. One must fully believe and practice the Church’s moral teachings in order to receive the Eucharist.
Catholic teaching condemns abortion in no uncertain terms:
“Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2270)
Archbishop Naumann of Kansas City has long been an advocate for the decision to deny Catholic politicians such as Biden Communion. “It’s not the bishops who have brought us to this point — it’s some of our public officials. [Joe Biden] is a Catholic president doing the most aggressive things we’ve ever seen on life at its most innocent.”
Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler called for repentance of those promoting the sin of abortion and urged faith leaders to form the flock’s conscience rightly:
“…As spiritual fathers and shepherds I urge us to do all we can in each of our dioceses to emphasize the clear connection between repentance, confession of sins, firm purpose of amendment and worthy reception of Our Lord really present in consecrated bread and wine. I speak in support of the drafting of a formal statement on the meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the Church.”