The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I am not a Catholc, but isn't communion in the Catholic church for those considered to be in "good standing", as in in line with the stated doctrine of the church?

In my 16 years of going to church as a kid, never did I see any priest stand there and refer to a clipboard first before distributing communion to someone. How would they enforce "good standing"? It's almost impossible. Communion was for everyone. I never saw anyone be denied the Eucharist...

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

In my 16 years of going to church as a kid, never did I see any priest stand there and refer to a clipboard first before distributing communion to someone. How would they enforce "good standing"? It's almost impossible. Communion was for everyone. I never saw anyone be denied the Eucharist...

I get that. Of course there isn't a quiz. I'm just wondering, though, that if a known, say, prostitute who was out on the corner selling herself daily came in, would they serve her communion? It would be known that as a prostitute she was not in good standing. I'm wondering if that has something to do with it.

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I'm just wondering, though, that if a known, say, prostitute who was out on the corner selling herself daily came in, would they serve her communion? It would be known that as a prostitute she was not in good standing. I'm wondering if that has something to do with it.

In my personal opinion, if a hooker came in to a Catholic Church, she should be cut some slack. Jesus was BFF with Mary Magdeline - the once hooker and now saint.

I don't think a known prostitute would be denied communion. I ain't a priest, but I do know that all she would need to do is go to confession, clean her slate and line up for wafers.

And this whole "deny public figures communion" thing is a relatively new law. The dialogue about the new law was started (not surprisingly) on June 17, 2004. Before a certain presidential election that year... Hmmm. Political move? Yes.

Catholic World News reported on June 17, 2004:

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has weighed into debate within the American hierarchy, saying that public figures who openly dissent from Church teachings should not receive Communion.
In an official letter to the US bishops, which has not been made public, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith writes that Catholics who are "living in grave sin" or who "reject the doctrine of the Church," should abstain from the Eucharist.
Cardinal Ratzinger's letter was prompted by the sharp differences among American bishops on the question. These differences have been discussed at length by US bishops and Vatican officials in recent weeks, as the American bishops made their ad limina visits to Rome.
The existence of Cardinal Ratzinger's letter was first reported by the Italian daily La Reppublica , and subsequently confirmed by informed sources at the Vatican.
The thrust of Cardinal Ratzinger's message was at odds with reports from a few American bishops, who had returned from their visits to Rome saying that Vatican officials had discouraged any effort to withhold the Eucharist from public figures who oppose Church teachings on issues such as abortion and same-sex unions.
This question has been thrown into sharp relief this year because of the presidential candidacy of John Kerry, a Catholic who has been outspoken in his support for legal abortion and has opposed Church positions on issues such as euthanasia, stem-cell research, and homosexuality. Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis has said that he would deny Communion to Kerry; several other American bishops have stated that politicians holding such views should not receive the Eucharist.

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