A Call to Deny Communion to Some Catholic Politicians

Re “Vatican Rules Out Liberalized Liturgy,” April 24: As a lifelong, practicing Catholic, I have been appalled by the Catholic Church’s discourse regarding Catholics in public life. Why is no one calling to prohibit Catholic politicians from receiving Holy Communion because they support the death penalty or voted for the Iraq war, two positions that are in direct opposition to the Vatican? It is disheartening to see the anti-abortion movement consistently dominate Catholic political debate at the expense of Catholic social teaching as a whole.

Julia Falcone

Los Angeles

To receive communion in a Baptist church, one should agree with the teachings of the Baptist church. To receive communion in a Methodist church, one should hold as true Methodist teaching. To receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church, one must be in union with and accept as true Catholic teaching.

No one is worthy to receive the Holy Eucharist, but one may approach if an earnest effort is made to conform one’s life to the teachings of Christ as professed by the Catholic Church. To receive the sacred host and yet to dissent from Catholic Church teaching on the permanence of marriage, extramarital or homosexual activity, contraception or abortion, or other doctrinal/moral matters is to say, in essence, “Jesus, I know you are truly present in the Holy Eucharist and I know you founded your church to preserve your teaching, but, on this issue, Jesus, I am right and you are wrong.”

The Catholic Church is the custodian of her sacraments, as the other churches are of theirs. Public figures who flaunt their dissent publicly should not claim to be victims of injustice when denied the sacraments.

Sister Francis

Mary Hart MMC

Ojai

The Catholic Eucharist is a memorial and re-presentation of the Passion of Jesus Christ, who chose suffering and death rather than political activity to obtain the salvation of the world. For the church to use Eucharist as a political weapon is a desecration of Eucharist. The church has other means to promote its moral stance.

Granville Henry

Claremont