greybeard
8th May 2021, 10:20
Archbishop Cordileone Explains His Stance Toward Abortion-Supporting Politicians: ‘I’m Trying to Save Souls’
Speaking with the Register, San Francisco’s shepherd discusses his new pastoral letter on abortion, reception of Communion, and the actions of Catholics in public life.
Lauretta Brown Interviews
May 6, 2021
WASHINGTON — The question of how to address Catholic politicians who continue to receive Communion while openly defying Church teaching on abortion has gained some new urgency at a time when the nation’s top-ranking public official, President Joe Biden, has continued to receive the Eucharist despite his public, vocal support for abortion.
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco recently released a pastoral letter on the human dignity of the unborn, Holy Communion and Catholics in public life that explores the gravity of abortion, the proper disposition for the reception of Communion, and the processes that should be followed when a Catholic public official persists in support for abortion and causes scandal. Archbishop Cordileone discussed the letter with the Register Thursday, explaining the need for his letter and for continued education on the topic.
Please explain why you’ve released this pastoral letter at this moment.
It has been on my mind for a long time, the need to say or do something clearly on this issue, because there’s so much confusion in the minds of our people. I decided that the best thing, at least initially, is to issue a teaching document.
The problem is that so many Catholics don’t understand what it means to receive the Eucharist. Some people are in a situation where they should not be receiving Communion, if you only understand Communion as a sense of fellowship, being welcomed at the table — without that idea that it’s the sacrifice of Christ made present to us and that act of sacramental Communion is an expression of our uniting of our sacrifice with his, the sense of being properly disposed in a state of grace.
Far too many Catholics don’t understand that, so I knew I needed to do some teaching on that; also, some teaching on the reality of abortion and how these issues are connected, because the other side has done a great job at deflecting attention away from it. That’s the only way it can be promoted — if people don’t really recognize how horrendously evil this is — so I needed to expose that. And that’s why I started with the biology of it, to show what it really is, principles in law, and the Church’s perspective on that.
When it comes to, then, the Communion question, if those who promote or favor legislation for abortion or promote it in other ways, there’s this question of cooperation. I had to have a chapter explaining these distinctions. They’re technical distinctions of moral theology, but they’re important for Catholics to understand, because very often some degree of cooperation is impossible not to have; but if it’s formal, where you intend the act, you participate in the act or facilitate it, and intend it, and if it’s a serious evil, then you’re involved in a very serious sin there.
I needed to lay all that groundwork to help people understand how Catholics in public life have an added responsibility — because of the public witness that they give — not to contradict Church teaching, but also not to promote any kind of an injustice or anything that would deprive a fundamental human right.
This letter was a long time in the making, and it was starting to come together last year; but I decided that I should release it after the election because I was afraid people would confuse this with some kind of a political ploy. I didn’t want it to be hijacked by one side or the other for a political purpose. I wanted to stay out of that, so I waited until after the election to release it
Our country is currently led by a president who publicly presents himself as Catholic and yet celebrates and advances abortion. Given the scandal and confusion that might cause, what sort of action might be taken by his Washington, D.C., or Delaware bishops, the USCCB or even the Vatican in addressing that?
More on link
Chris
Speaking with the Register, San Francisco’s shepherd discusses his new pastoral letter on abortion, reception of Communion, and the actions of Catholics in public life.
Lauretta Brown Interviews
May 6, 2021
WASHINGTON — The question of how to address Catholic politicians who continue to receive Communion while openly defying Church teaching on abortion has gained some new urgency at a time when the nation’s top-ranking public official, President Joe Biden, has continued to receive the Eucharist despite his public, vocal support for abortion.
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco recently released a pastoral letter on the human dignity of the unborn, Holy Communion and Catholics in public life that explores the gravity of abortion, the proper disposition for the reception of Communion, and the processes that should be followed when a Catholic public official persists in support for abortion and causes scandal. Archbishop Cordileone discussed the letter with the Register Thursday, explaining the need for his letter and for continued education on the topic.
Please explain why you’ve released this pastoral letter at this moment.
It has been on my mind for a long time, the need to say or do something clearly on this issue, because there’s so much confusion in the minds of our people. I decided that the best thing, at least initially, is to issue a teaching document.
The problem is that so many Catholics don’t understand what it means to receive the Eucharist. Some people are in a situation where they should not be receiving Communion, if you only understand Communion as a sense of fellowship, being welcomed at the table — without that idea that it’s the sacrifice of Christ made present to us and that act of sacramental Communion is an expression of our uniting of our sacrifice with his, the sense of being properly disposed in a state of grace.
Far too many Catholics don’t understand that, so I knew I needed to do some teaching on that; also, some teaching on the reality of abortion and how these issues are connected, because the other side has done a great job at deflecting attention away from it. That’s the only way it can be promoted — if people don’t really recognize how horrendously evil this is — so I needed to expose that. And that’s why I started with the biology of it, to show what it really is, principles in law, and the Church’s perspective on that.
When it comes to, then, the Communion question, if those who promote or favor legislation for abortion or promote it in other ways, there’s this question of cooperation. I had to have a chapter explaining these distinctions. They’re technical distinctions of moral theology, but they’re important for Catholics to understand, because very often some degree of cooperation is impossible not to have; but if it’s formal, where you intend the act, you participate in the act or facilitate it, and intend it, and if it’s a serious evil, then you’re involved in a very serious sin there.
I needed to lay all that groundwork to help people understand how Catholics in public life have an added responsibility — because of the public witness that they give — not to contradict Church teaching, but also not to promote any kind of an injustice or anything that would deprive a fundamental human right.
This letter was a long time in the making, and it was starting to come together last year; but I decided that I should release it after the election because I was afraid people would confuse this with some kind of a political ploy. I didn’t want it to be hijacked by one side or the other for a political purpose. I wanted to stay out of that, so I waited until after the election to release it
Our country is currently led by a president who publicly presents himself as Catholic and yet celebrates and advances abortion. Given the scandal and confusion that might cause, what sort of action might be taken by his Washington, D.C., or Delaware bishops, the USCCB or even the Vatican in addressing that?
More on link
Chris