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Denying the Eucharist (Holy Communion) to Catholic pro-abortion politicians is messy business for many of the world’s bishops, but especially in the U.S. where the abortion issue factors into almost every major election.
It’s messy because despite the singular clarity of Catholic teaching on the matter (willful abortion is an “abominable crime”) and automatic excommunication for persons who directly procure or participate in an abortion, application of church law (canon law) relative to disciplining persons who publicly advocate for abortion - particularly politicians - is up to individual bishops.
As an example, Joe Biden, a Catholic and a vigorous abortion advocate, upon his nomination for vice-president in 2008, was publicly warned that he would be denied communion in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania by the bishop of Scranton. However, Biden was not denied communion in his then place of residence, Wilmington, Delaware.
Closer to the present, in 2022, the archbishop of San Francisco publicly prohibited pro-abortion Catholic Nancy Pelosi from receiving communion. However, a month later, Pelosi was in the Vatican chatting with the pope and received communion at a papal Mass in St. Peter’s.
The report about Pelosi’s Vatican visit does not say that she received communion personally from the pope. If she did, it would have been in marked contrast to the pope’s position on the matter a year earlier when he stated that Communion is for those who are “in the community” and politicians who support abortion are “outside of the community.”
But even so, if the pope knew of Pelosi’s pro-abortion political record (and how could he not), then to be consistent he had a responsibility to advise the other ministers of communion at the papal Mass to deny her communion, or at minimum, privately tell Pelosi not to seek the sacrament.
There is some confusion among Catholics as to whether or not advocating for abortion by public persons, particularly politicians, warrants excommunication. According to canon law, it does.
However, excommunication in this regard is not automatic as it is with a Catholic who willfully procures an abortion or participates in one. Instead, the excommunication of Catholic pro-abortion politicians can be publicly imposed on the offending party only after a due process proceeding pursuant to canon law.
We recently witnessed such a proceeding with the excommunication of former U.S. papal nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano. For those who followed it, you may recall that Vigano was formally notified of his charges and provided a hearing before a tribunal. Vigano chose not to show up which led to the equivalent of a guilty verdict and his formal excommunication.
In the denial of communion to Biden and Pelosi by their bishops, no such proceeding took place because it was not required. In these cases, denial of communion was imposed pursuant to Canon 915 which is drawn from the church’s sacramental discipline and not its penal code. The canon states in relevant part: "those who persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.”
Canonist Ed Peters points out that Canon 915 “is established independently of the…penal law and operates without reference to the…binding demands of penal procedure.” In other words, any pastor, for good cause, may impose this…or not impose this (without due process), which accounts for the varied application of the canon from bishop to bishop.
Peters goes on to state that while a bishop has discretion in this matter, if the bishop does impose a prohibition pursuant to Canon 915 he must demonstrate three facts: manifestation of behavior, obstinacy in that behavior, and gravity of the offense.
And that brings us to the manifest, obstinate, and grave behavior of Guam’s governor - perhaps the most vigorous proponent of abortion of any governor in the entire country - and who continues to present herself publicly for Holy Communion.
So while it has been nice to see all the celebrations and the smiling photos with our new archbishop, the “elephant in the chancery” is the governor at the communion rail.
For the good of our local Catholic Church and all of the scandal we have recently suffered, Archbishop Ryan Jimenez has a duty to either impose the discipline of Canon 915 on the governor or tell us why he isn’t.
The governor could also publicly recant, but that’s not going to happen. So it’s “high noon” for Jimenez.
Tim Rohr has resided in Guam since 1987. He has raised a family of 11 children, owned several businesses, and is active in local issues via his blog, JungleWatch.info, letters to local publications, and occasional public appearances. He may be contacted at timrohr.guam@gmail.com
Resources:
Sin To Vote For Pro-Abortion Politicians?
Pope says pro-choice politicians ‘outside community’ of Church, but urges pastoral response
After year of divisive debate, US bishops approve tepid document on Communion
Denial of the Eucharist to Pro-Abortion Catholic Politicians: A Canonical Case Study
Pelosi receives Communion in the Vatican, despite her home archbishop refusing it
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