CNA Staff, Dec 4, 2020 / 11:23 am (CNA).- Archbishop Charles Chaput said that Catholic president-elect Joe Biden should not receive Holy Communion because of his support for the “grave moral evil” of abortion.
Writing in the magazine First Things on Dec. 4, the archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia also warned that individual bishops who publicly announce their intention to give Biden Communion risk doing a “serious disservice” to Biden, and to the rest of the American bishops.
Biden will become the second baptized Catholic to be sworn in as U.S. president. During his campaign he frequently referenced his Catholicism while taking stances in direct opposition to various aspects of Church teaching, including his support for enshrining unrestricted access to abortion in federal law.
“By his actions during the course of his public life, Mr. Biden has demonstrated that he is not in full communion with the Catholic Church,” Chaput wrote.
“To his credit,” Chaput noted, Biden “has championed many causes and issues that do serve the common good. However, many of his actions and words have also supported or smoothed the way for grave moral evils in our public life that have resulted in the destruction of millions of innocent lives.”
“Mr. Biden has said that he will continue to advance those same policies as president, and thus should not receive Holy Communion. His stated intention requires a strong and consistent response from Church leaders and faithful.”
Chaput, who retired as Archbishop of Philadelphia in January 2020, also noted that when he was a serving diocesan bishop, he was not always in favor of publicly denying politicians Communion over their political stances.
“I believed then, and believe now, that publicly denying Communion to public officials is not always wise or the best pastoral course,” said Chaput. “Doing so in a loud and forceful manner may cause more harm than good by inviting the official to bask in the media glow of victimhood.”
Chaput recalled that in 2004, John Kerry – also a Catholic – was the Democratic nominee for president and also took policy stances at odds with the Church’s moral teaching, a situation which resulted in “internal tensions among U.S. bishops about how to handle the matter of Holy Communion.”
“At the time, Washington’s then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, along with Pittsburgh’s Bishop Donald Wuerl [who succeeded McCarrick in Washington], had very different views from my own regarding how to proceed,” Chaput said.
“What I opposed in 2004… was any seeming indifference to the issue, any hint in a national bishops’ statement or policy that would give bishops permission to turn their heads away from the gravity of a very serious issue.”
Chaput noted that, in answer to that situation, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) issued a letter clarifying that Catholic politicians who campaign and vote for laws promoting abortion and similar grave moral evils should be “instructed” by their pastor on Church teaching and warned that they would be denied Communion. If they continued “with obstinate persistence” in their stance and still presented themselves for Communion, the CDF said, “the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it.”
“To my knowledge, that statement remains in effect,” Chaput said on Friday. “The implications for the present moment are clear. Public figures who identify as ‘Catholic’ give scandal to the faithful when receiving Communion by creating the impression that the moral laws of the Church are optional.”
“And,” Chaput continued, “bishops give similar scandal by not speaking up publicly about the issue and danger of sacrilege.”
During their Fall General Assembly last month, the U.S. bishops noted that Biden’s public Catholicism and his policy platform presented a unique set of challenges for the bishops as they sought to work with the incoming administration.
The conference president, Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, closed the meeting on Nov. 17 by announcing the creation of a bishops’ working group to prepare for the Biden presidency.
The USCCB president noted several Biden policies that “pose a serious threat to the common good, whenever any politician supports them.”
Gomez went on to observe that “when politicians who profess the Catholic faith support them, there are additional problems. Among other things, it creates confusion among the faithful about what the Church actually teaches on these questions.”
As a consequence, he announced the formation of a special committee, chaired by Archbishop Alan Vigneron of Detroit, and made up of the heads of various USCCB committees to “emphasize our priorities and enhance collaboration.”
Despite the announcement of this committee, on Nov. 24, Washington archbishop Cardinal Wilton Gregory announced in an interview that he would not deny Communion to Biden, and committed himself to dialoguing with the president-elect to “discover areas where [he and Biden] can cooperate that reflect the social teachings of the Church, knowing full well that there are some areas where we won’t agree.”
As the Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Gregory would be Biden’s local bishop when he arrived in the White House. In his interview, the cardinal dismissed the possible “confusion” over Church teaching caused by a Catholic president promoting unrestricted access to abortion.
“It’s not a matter of confusion,” Gregory said. “On my part, it’s a matter of the responsibility that I have as the archbishop to be engaged and to be in dialogue with him, even in those areas where we obviously have some differences.”
Chaput wrote on Friday that “Those bishops who publicly indicate in advance that they will undertake their own dialogue with President-elect Joseph Biden and allow him Communion effectively undermine the work of the task force established at the November bishops’ conference meeting to deal precisely with this and related issues.”
Chaput said that unilateral action by bishops on Biden and Communion “gives scandal to their brother bishops and priests, and to the many Catholics who struggle to stay faithful to Church teaching.”
“It does damage to the bishops’ conference, to the meaning of collegiality, and to the fruitfulness of the conference’s advocacy work with the incoming administration.”
“When bishops publicly announce their willingness to give Communion to Mr. Biden, without clearly teaching the gravity of his facilitating the evil of abortion (and his approval of same-sex relationships), they do a serious disservice to their brother bishops and their people,” said Chaput.
The archbishop went on to argue that denying a Catholic in a state of grave sin Communion was an essential pastoral action.
“This is not a ‘political’ matter,” he said, “and those who would describe it as such are either ignorant or willfully confusing the issue. This is a matter of bishops’ unique responsibility before the Lord for the integrity of the sacraments.”
“Moreover,” Chaput concluded, “there is also the pressing matter of pastoral concern for a man’s salvation.”
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Best. Teaching. Moment. Ever.
Chuput in many ways is just another Trump, large encharge, but no example to follow.
The Church has sold it’s soul for abortion and were totally silent when Trump lied and preached hate. Christ spoke of love and the Bishops just want to be referees of the game sof life which they do not play on the same field as the rest of us. The Church took the Federal money last year and remained silent while thousands died and Trump did nothing. Silence is endorsement. Oh I forgot the Bishop’s are good at coverups. The rules only apply to the people in the pews. After 71 years, it is time to walk. Christ was no conservative and there is little to conserve from the American Catholic Church. I was raised Roman Catholic not Republican Catholic.
Ol Chuput should focus on what unites Americans, the Americas and all of the World, and NOT what causes divisison.
It is just right then, and praise and worship be unto God, that Pope Francis did not elevate Archbishop Chaput a Cardinal. He just does not get it. He does not understand the clear Catholic and gospel teaching expounded by the reigning Pope in Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel): “The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak. These convictions have pastoral consequences that we are called to consider with prudence and boldness. Frequently, we act as arbiters of grace rather than its facilitators. But the Church is not a tollhouse; it is the house of the Father, where there us a place for everyone, with all their problems.” (EG 47)
Lan, why don’t you check 1 Cor. 11:29. If an individual (especially a political leader) cannot discern that his or her promotion of grave moral evil is, itself, a grave evil–most especially unrestricted abortion, same gender “marriage” and the suppression of the rights of conscience–and thus objectively guilty of serious sin–then the Church must provide this for him or her. Or as Cardinal Wuerl once said on this topic, “We have to teach, teach, teach.”
The Pontiff Francis orchestrated and presided over idolatry in Rome in 2019.
Those acknowledging the truth “get real.” There is no “it” to get. The only thing that can be “got” is reality.
The Pontiff Francis is not committed to having people “get real.”
straw man, non-sequitur, et seq
It’s not Chaput who “doesn’t get it,” it’s Joe Biden who doesn’t. He’s been denied communion before, and still refuses to repent and/or come into conformity with the Church’s teachings. The things Biden supports are in fact objectively evil. A bishop’s job is to lead us by pointing that out, and often this means taking action. Especially since 49% of Catholics voted for Biden. They need true catechesis.
Archbishop Chaput – who often stated that he wasn’t interested in being elevated to the cardinalate – told Biden – who has excommunicated himself latae sententiae – during the 2008 DNC convention in Denver not to present himself for communion; many other Bishops have also told Biden he shouldn’t receive while in their Dioceses. The Archbishop Emeritus is simply being consistent and faithful to Canon 915, the teaching of Saint Paul and Christ’s own words in Luke 12:57; which sticks in the craw of your cabal, all of which trumps the prudential nonsense in Evangelii Gaudium, as only one example, from the Argentinian Pontiff. Unlike the Pope, Chaput understands that the Church belongs to God, not to the whims of the 265th successor of Saint Peter.
Can. 915 Those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to holy communion.
“Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 11:27-29
“And why even of yourselves, do you not judge that which is just?” Jesus Christ, Luke 12:57
By the way, being selected to wear a red zucchetto by Jorge Bergoglio is nothing to be proud of.
Those red zucchettos should have an asterisk sewn to them.
Nonsense. An examination of conscience is necessary before receiving the eucharist, to be accompanied by repentance for misconduct and firm amendment of same – if in a state of mortal sin, such as promoting and agreeing with abortion, communion CANNOT be taken. And that’s that. To pursue the eucharist come what may is simply pride and ego, vanity in short. There would be no need for a conscience if we decided ourselves when to partake or not, given that a priest normally is not in a position to know the state of the souls of his individual parishioners; if every person decided willy nilly whether he or she was in a state of grace guided purely by our own egos, you can imagine what would result. Biden is a public figure making public announcements about abortion and so Archbishop Chaput is in a position to know his intentions. He is perfectly correct in his denial of communion to Biden, were the occasion to arise, but Biden should know enough not to create such an occasion, unless vanity overwhelms humility before God. Biden would necessarily have to make a public announcement of his change to opposing infanticide of the unborn child. Unfortunately he seems to lack the moral will politically so perhaps ambition stifled his conscience.
amen
Quoth Cardinal Gregory:“On my part, it’s a matter of the responsibility that I have as the archbishop to be engaged and to be in dialogue with him, even in those areas where we obviously have some differences.”
So, does a fireman “dialogue” with the fire?
Gregory can dialogue with Biden when he tells him he is going to hell if he takes communion. That’s how you dialogue about such things.
Cardinal Gregory’s upfront compromise with Joe Biden on fundamental Catholic teaching is a human rights tragedy. Are there public policy “areas” within which we are to “cooperate” with Biden whole he and his legions proudly continue to enable the slaughter?
There is no ‘compromise’ here at all – Biden will receive Communion even though he is in clear violation of immutable Church teaching.
And Mass attendance will diminish and hopefully donations will diminish.
What will it take for these bishops (small b) to listen?
They’ve got their retirement mansions and Church funds squirreled away, and are ready to live in high style in South Beach Miami with all their friends. That’s all they care about.
Samton909, cynical. But so true!
Perhaps the USCCB Committee could conduct a tutorial for both Pope Biden and Cardinal Gregory? And, it’s not about politicians versus red hats…
The layman Josef Pieper gives a hint in his handbook on Prudence (nice congruence of vocabulary, here: one of the “cardinal virtues”). Pieper writes of “memory” as conformance with reality:
“ …prudence means nothing less that ‘true-to-being’ memory [….] The falsification of recollection by the assent or negation of the WILL is memory’s worst foe; for it most directly frustrates its primary function: to be the container of real things [not the playground of false accompaniment or sidestepping dialogue] [….]
“Nowhere else is the danger so great as here, at the deepest root of the spiritual-ethical process, the danger that the truth of real things [the true reality of an unborn child, not a zucchini or a politicized cancellation—the original cancel-culture!] will be falsified by the assent or negation of the WILL. The peril is the greater for its being so imperceptive [the non-perceptive Pope Biden says his faith is “congruent” with the Church!].
“There is no more insidious way for error to establish itself than by this falsification of the memory through slight retouches, displacements, discolorations, omissions, shifts of accent [as by 47 years in noisy D.C. and a sequence of Supreme Court know-it-all fatwas][….] A closed mind and know-it-allness are fundamentally forms of resistance to the TRUTH OF REAL THINGS; both reveal the incapacity of the subject to practice that silence which is the absolute prerequisite to all perception of reality” (Prudence: The First Cardinal Virtue, Pantheon, 1959, pp. 31-3).
We might remember (memory!), here, the reality of Galileo’s telescope image, alongside the equal REALITY of today’s modern ultrasound: an aborted child’s Silent Scream. And, Pope Biden’s new “accent” on gender theory and infanticide! The insidious seamless garment.
The Pontiff Francis = The McCarrick Establishment. “His Eminence” “my-$2M-Mansion” Gregory is yet another of their millionaire Viceroys.
As The Good Shepherd declared, such men are false shepherds, “thieves and a robbers,” like McCarrick and McElroy and Joe “Nite-Nite-Baby” Tobin and Cupich and the rest of the sodo-clericalist cult. All hand-picked by the occult McCarrick and his Pontiff Francis, who orchestrated and presided over idolatry in Rome in 2019.
Except that this article has nothing to do with McCarrick. Why do you persist in making every one of your posts about the McCarrick scandal, even when the article clearly has nothing to do with that subject?
Liberalism and wimpy Christianity continue their assault on the Church. What was wrong for centuries is now accepted as the right truth.
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus teaches, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” What are these gates of hell?
Pray for the conversion of the left.
“There is also the pressing matter of pastoral concern for a man’s salvation.”
Save the best for last.
Couple of thoughts:
1. The newly elevated Wilton Cardinal Gregory’s approach to this matter aligns perfectly with our own Holy Father’s, who asks simply “Who am I to judge?”
2. If I were President-elect Biden and attended Mass in my parish, I wouldn’t tempt fate by presenting myself to a priest to receive the blessed sacrament. Instead, I’d just go to one of the numerous laymen and laywomen Eucharistic ministers arrayed priest-likearound the altar. As the Pew survey tells us, who in America even believes/cares in the real presence any more? It’s all about dialogue, ecumenism and compromise.
Cardinal Gregory’s remarks on Biden and Holy Communion do, in fact, express a judgment. A deeply problematic one. There is no escaping making a judgment in these matters, as public actions require real judgments. The judgment of the soul is another matter. That’s Catholic (and logic) 101.
Yet, it is an individual pastoral judgment: knowingly to give a man in public mortal sin communion must also be a serious sin.
I’d just go to one of the numerous laymen and laywomen Eucharistic ministers(sic) arrayed priest-likearound the altar.
Extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. As Redemptionis Sacramentum unambiguously explains only a validly ordained Priest may be referred to as a Eucharistic Minister. I think Biden tried what you suggested in South Carolina but was stopped by Father Robert Morey.
Of course, there’s actually no such thing as “Eucharistic ministers.” Rather, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. Another calculated and lost distinction with a difference–as you say, the clericalization of the laity.
Of course, there’s actually no such thing as “Eucharistic ministers.”(sic)
In an attempt to diminish the Priesthood and further protestantize the faith and the Mass, the apostate/heterodox/heretical/ecumenical/pantsuit wearing/felt banner making/guitar playing/spirit band rabble rousing Ordinary Form cabals want everyone with a ciborium to be known as a Eucharistic Minister. Fortunately the CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENT and Cardinal Arinze say otherwise.
1. The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
[154.] As has already been recalled, “the only minister who can confect the Sacrament of the Eucharist in persona Christi is a validly ordained Priest”.[254] Hence the name “minister of the Eucharist” belongs properly to the Priest alone.(emphasis added) Moreover, also by reason of their sacred Ordination, the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are the Bishop, the Priest and the Deacon,[255] to whom it belongs therefore to administer Holy Communion to the lay members of Christ’s faithful during the celebration of Mass. In this way their ministerial office in the Church is fully and accurately brought to light, and the sign value of the Sacrament is made complete.
In addition, the following really sticks in the craws of the local Susan’s of the parish council and Bishop McFuddypants.
[157.] If there is usually present a sufficient number of sacred ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion may not be appointed. Indeed, in such circumstances, those who may have already been appointed to this ministry should not exercise it. The practice of those Priests is reprobated who, even though present at the celebration, abstain from distributing Communion and hand this function over to laypersons.[258]
[158.] Indeed, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may administer Communion only when the Priest and Deacon are lacking, when the Priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.[259] This, however, is to be understood in such a way that a brief prolongation, considering the circumstances and culture of the place, is not at all a sufficient reason.
I may be wrong, but when a priest KNOWINGLY gives the Eucharist to a communicant with unrepented mortal sin on their soul, does that not put the priest himself in mortal sin? Under civil law that would be called aiding and abetting. Like I said, I could be wrong but I think I read something to that effect a while back.
“By his actions in public life, Mr. Biden has demonstrated that he is not in full communion with the Catholic Church.”
You can’t get ANY plainer than that.
Clear so very clear.
Ersatz Catholics like Biden, Kerry, Pelosi et al don’t just undermine the Church by working as hard as they can for decades on end to see that the Church’s most fundamental teachings are forever defeated on earth.
They also undermine the faith of individual Catholics by forcing us to wonder whether the Church’s own leaders, who work so hard pretending not to notice the perfidy of these Democratic politicos, actually believe what the Church teaches themselves.
I think that’s a valid question. Given that so many of the Church’s own leaders apparently don’t have a problem when Catholics do everything they can to ensure the killing of children and the destruction of the Church’s influence in society, is any of this Catholic stuff real? Does the Catholic Church herself really believe any of this?
Or is this all just a game being played by people who want to be thought of as “virtuous” and “nice”?
I have been known to hyperbolize. But it doesn’t feel like I’m doing that now.
This really does feel like an existential moment for the Catholic Church.
Your questions cut to the heart of the matter. You do not hyperbolize. Their words and deeds, certainly seem to indicate that almost all of the hierarchy, including the Pope, do not believe what the Church has always taught.
I am very grateful to CWR for airing this issue — and so many others.
The culture doesn’t like to have spotlights shined on its shibboleths.
I’m sending in my contribution today to help make sure that CWR’s light stays focused and bright.
I hope others who are able do the same.
Biden is of today’s world. Materialism and Money and let’s not forget that evil temptation, POWER. His Catholic background was lost long ago I think. He knows it. Some of us know it too. Poor Hunter. Sins of the father….
The single reason a Catholic can go off to war, murder of others, is to stop, end Genocide of humans..
Yet past President Obama incited a Genocide on Yemen, that Trump has incited, on the poorest of the Poor, the people of Yemen. The worst most humanitarian crisis in all of World History, an action in the range of the US actions on Haiti, a predominately Catholic Country.
Trump incited a wall. Total defiance to the Catholic Mind.
Biden wants to end, these atrocities.
Biden looks to be Gods will, and blessing, to finally turn the tide of Unjust War..
Lyle,
How many wars were begun under Mr. Trump’s administration? Seriously.
One of the reasons I voted for Trump a second time was the lack of wars and diminishment of foreign interventions over the past 4 years.
I agree with mrscracker.
Plus, Obama and Trump aren’t Catholics attempting to receive the Eucharist. Biden is, and should know better. He has remained unrepentant and unwilling to seek the truth, and his spiritual blindness has lead other to blindness as well.
Biden had many opportunities to stem the tide of war and hatred of peoples when he was VP for eight years. Voting for broad access to abortion is the most un-humanitarian thing one can do. He obviously hates women, especially pregnanthe ones. They are merely tools for him to objectify.
All I want to hear from an American Catholic bishop is this: “I have decided to withdraw my diocese from the U.S.C.C.B.” Until I hear that, none of them are anything but politicians, as far as I am concerned, Chaput included.
The Archbishop appears to have a very narrow lens with his denying Biden Communion. Using his same logic, he should be denying the Eucharist to: 1) Politicians who support gun rights for the mentally ill who take innocent lives every day. 2) Doctors who proscribe the birth control pill to women every day, and 3) Clergy who use church funds to lobby state legislators to insure the laws don’t allow for holding bishops responsible for child molestation to come to justice. Interesting how he is sooo narrow in his views. I suggest this is the reason he was not promoted to Cardinal. Sorry Charles.
For, Abp. Chaput says denying Biden Communion is ‘pastoral’ not ‘political’, is a grave mortal sin… For who is Abp. Chaput to judge? others?
The stark realization is, the United States is not a Christian nation today…
For yes, abortion, that has been harped on is bad, but, the real issues as Unjust wars, the extermination of the poorest of the poor in Yemen, by Genocide, is equally bad. The US actions toward Haiti, is terrible, as Mexico, both Catholic countries. All of the Americas, is in terrible social and economic straits.
Recognizes the US now, works to pass a two thirds of a Trillion military spending, not for defense, but to spread misery, discontent, and Murder, Genocide to the World..
That issue, is a grave error on all Catholic assumed, and ministered to face a judgement of Hypocrites.
Denial of , feed the hungry, cloth the naked and shelter the homeless, denies Communion to far more than, Mr Biden..
Biden is the single Catholic at this point in the US that stands against Unjust war, the wall, and the corruption… An action we have not seen, Since past President, Kennedy..
Is their not corruption, in the US Catholic leadership? Stay tuned, God will reveal alot in the coming years. Those that point, should be pointing, at themselves.
“For who is Abp. Chaput to judge?”
Well, an ARCHBISHOP, for one. To state the obvious. Good grief.
“Biden is the single Catholic at this point in the US that stands against Unjust war, the wall, and the corruption…”
You’re really not familiar with Biden’s long, long, long public record, are you?
You’re embarrassing yourself.
The single biggest World Wide protest in all of World history, was Pre against the United States attack on Iraq, Saddam Hussain, that still rages on today..
The attack on Iraq was based on, REVENGE, not on facts, as the majority of the people in 911 were from, Saudi Arabia.
Yet the US and Saudi Arabia, deemed true Islamic State, impose a Genocide on Yemen, the poorest country on Earth, in destroying farms, schools, religious, historical places, ports of food entry, homes, schools inciting Genocide, totally defiant to the Catholic Religion…. NO one can support US military actions in the Middle East, and claim true Catholic being. Total Unjust actions of war, murder, Genocide.
Explain where the US has been in a just war the last Decades? None, can you find, in regard to the Catholic Teachings or Religion…
Yet a three fourths Trillion military budget.. The United States over threw the governments of, Syria, Iran, Haiti, Guatemala, all legitimate governments, most democratic.
For Oil and pipeline.
The US actions in Syria where the People are slaughtered by the government, is justified, for OIL interests, not human lives.
The government does not give a rip about the children in the US, that is seen with education spending, Slave Wages in the US alone.
the national debt that is left to the next generation, is a crime against humanity, Created by war spending, denies every politician communion.
If you look in a dictionary of idioms under “broken record” you’ll find that the definition is “lyle.”
Do us all a favor, and learn to punctuate property, and ditch the random capitals. And your hatred of the United States is duly noted – again.
If People love the People of the United States, they will start standing up for the poor, the down trodden, immigrate. Those turning to drugs, and ponography to escape reality, is horrifying.
No child should be alowed to sign up, or suckered into signing up for military duty, till their 21, or better 40 years old. Not 17…
You are utterly clueless, Lyle.
Why should people who love the people of the United States immigrate?
What do the evils of drugs and pornography have to do with this?
Did you sign up for the military at 17 and now you’re all upset about it? Fine, but extrapolating from there to “nobody should be allowed to join” is absurd.
I repeat that your hatred of the United States is noted. It’s obvious. It’s practically palpable.
All Politics, no brains would be the summary of all of this..
How Abortion came to be the single issue of US Catholic religious politics is explained by the military industrial complex tax over of the US government.
Kennedy was elected by the people for his Catholic belief of war is wrong, murder, corruption, and the murder of our own children in senseless wars, and genocide of innocents. Martyred.
Biden now, in true Catholic faith, stands against, war, the evil of, and is now attacked. A Champion of the poor, the down trodden, the children who are sent off as sheep to be ruined and slaughtered, by senseless, evil wars.
“Biden now, in true Catholic faith”
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
Also, if you think Biden “stands against war,” you’re delusional. He voted for the Iraq War, you know.
“Kennedy was elected by the people for his Catholic belief of war is wrong,” etc.
Snort. Kennedy was elected because the Democrats’ political machines in Texas and Illinois committed voter fraud.
A true Catholic is obligated to admonish the sinner, directly to the sinner themselves. Not as Abp. Chaput has.
“Abp. Chaput says denying Biden Communion is ‘pastoral’ not ‘political”. Is not Catholic of mind, or teaching.
Pro claiming Biden a sinner, is no different then those that nailed Jesus to the cross in his going into the Temple and standing against the money changers. Saying publicly, defies the Catholic faith directly. Jesus went into the Temple and stood against the money changers, those that collected the Temple tax. Stop making slaves of my people, in they had to borrow often against the land, to pay the Temple tax. and, then lost the land, to the money changers. Abortions, infant murder, has always existed. Legal or Illegal will not stop abortions or change it, As it is now, its not done in some back ally system, but in a controlled enviroment, Gambling, Alcohol, Drugs, has destroyed the US, Catholics up in arms over abortion, yet they themselves promote all other social evils, as unjust wars and genocide on the poor. Tell us abp. Chaput where you stand on Casinos, Trilion dollar war spending, or, Drug abuse that created a prison system of not reform, but of profit in the US.. 5% of the worlds population, but 25% of the worlds jailed. A drug epidemic that is out of control, though illegal, ruined an entire generation in the US.
The real atrocity of right now is the Historical repeat of in the USA is the direct repeat of that which brought the Roman Empire to ruin, the United States today.
What is amazing ,President Kennedy tried to stand against it, and now Biden to President is on a similar path It will always be amazing the denial of the Death of Kennedy in the US, and who opposed him, and who came to lead the US Catholic church..
Abp. Chaput could set an example of true Catholic leadership, he would call for all Priests to denounce and condemn premarital sex. The element that brings abortion to be, is the lack of integrity, respect, for women, the family, for human life.
In a defining and very real reality, its a huge mortal sin to defy the Ten Commandments. To that is, Honor your Father and Mother.
To honor and father and mother, all should seek a parents consent, permission, to engage and marry another…. For a man, to ask a father, to marry his daughter, should be the standard.. The heart of true family intergrity.
Irrelevant is abortion, legal or illegal in the USA, for human life has no value, nor is it respected by political leaders, and we might as well be honest, religious as well. Proven by Unjust wars, walls, genocides, poverty and political upheaval as the USA has inflicted on Haiti, Guatemala, Mexico, and all of the Americas.
When we see Chaput address these issues, and demand all who fail to stand against communion, we can take him serious.
An issue that Abp Chaput should address, is that a “deemed” Catholic agency has collected Millions from US Catholics, and now sent these Millions to Syria, to aid “persecuted” Christians. The leader of Syria has exterminated thousands of citizens who protest the corruption of the government. That leader is empowered, by the Baath party, christians.
The leaders Uncle is in question in french courts, to money laundering. The US Catholic Agency, is in question of true ethics, accountability.
Should not, the head of this Catholic agency, be denied communnion, by ab Chuput?
We want to know?
If you want to destroy a civilization, evil methods are Unjust war or Genocide and, build a casino… Both have President Trumps stamp of approval.
In a Democratic country, the people have a say, or input to what is legal, and illegal, moral and not moral.. Drugs that are illegal, have ruined the USA, because a deemed war on drugs, was lost.. The prison system of nation of 5% of the worlds people, with 25% of the prisoners, in a system of not reform. But rather of a place of three meals a day, and a bed to sleep on… Reform is dead in the US prison system..
To abortion, in a nation with no morality, or respect to human life at every level, in a nation the people in a norm of majority rules, zero tolerance to Abortion that has in all of history been a part of every society, absolute NO abortions is a mere insanity to ask for.. It will merely put more women in jail.
When Unbridled Capitalism is recognized, in a few have and are hoarding the nations wealth of the US, and the majority are wage and debt slaves in the USA. Zero abortion is a demand of ignorant of the reality of a society leaders, when the US is the poorest nation on Earth today. A true case of the Blind lead the Blind in the USA.
We still want to know, how a assumed Catholic agency sent millions to Syria, to a corrupt evil government that slaughters its people to retain power? Yet no protest from Catholic US leaders.
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia has defied the very core of the Catholic faith, of Charity to others has no exception. For as true Catholics we really dont have confidence in ourselves, nor does wisdom seem to cover every situation, nor do rules always seem to apply. But in all things let us humble ourselves and “subject ourselves to God” as well to the Authorities. 2-13 thomas a kempis
I to prayed to God to guide the voters, that the best for us was elected, and I pray to God to guide Mr. Biden, President.
That would have been of the Catholic mind as a leader of the Catholic Church as well..
“Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia has defied the very core of the Catholic faith…” says the man who then states, “For as true Catholics we really dont have confidence in ourselves…” and “But in all things let us humble ourselves…”
This isn’t just inconsistent, it’s hypocritical. Get a grip, sir.
Hey, lyle, “confidence in ourselves.” What’s this “ourselves” thingy?
If Biden had a clue what he’s (un)doing (his claimed “congruence” with Catholic teaching!), then the accurate picture would be one of sacrilege. But if he’s simply (a fitting word) clueless, then the minimal expectation in the flock is something coherent from a Church that still teaches, that is, a Church that is sufficiently charitable (your standard) and into the justice thing as to not scandalize the faithful.
But now, just do our own thing, man, with “confidence in ourselves.” Speaking theologically, who the hell cares about the dismemberment of unborn children? After all, right here in the Americas, the Aztec tradition did much the same! So, banners and kumbaya all around, for everybody. Big-tent Catholicism is the very latest thing! Here, have a smiley button for your lapel.
Amen! Thank you
A true Catholic is “Humble” or not have confidence in self, but in God.. In God we Trust, and place our Trust and Confidence. For God is the source of all power.
For a Catholic to step forward to lead the people, should be highly commended.
World history has shown repeatedly religious, humble, those with not confidence in themselves, but in God, are attacked, and taken down. Its only to be expected.
President Kennedy was an example, and Saints and other martyrs.
Jesus stood humble, against the corruption, exactly as all Catholics in the USA should be today.. and to the cross he was nailed, because of the rules, and those he offended.
Jesus would have, and did tell the women having abortions to go forth, and sin no more. or avoid premarital sex.
Maybe the US church could expend their time, recognizing that, and standing against unjust war, genocide, and unbridled capitalism..
but then they would get nailed to a cross also,for standing against, the real corruption of today.
Does Abp. Chaput stand against the genocide of Yemen today, contribute of by the USA?
Lyle,
I wasn’t going to put this comment through, but this…
“President Kennedy was an example, and Saints and other martyrs.”
You need to read a bit more history and comment a bit less.
There is no genocide in Yemen, and vh there is no such thing as unbridled capitalism, so your whole argument is pointless. Maybe you should address the corruption in your own heart first.
One of the saddest sights is to see good Catholics arguing with each other. Don’t do it. Debate in kindness. Only 1 above knows the absolute truth.
Ms. Casey, would you see it wrong for Abp. Chaput to publicly announce, as this site, to be President Biden should be denied communion? Openly, publicly, or should that be announced directly to the individual alone, and in private?
When we read he, Chaput, is at conference on the “young people”.
When its common knowledge any child in the US today who might express interest in the Catholic vocations, is terrible unfortunately, deemed instantly gay. and then, taughtened by those around them. We have to question Chaput, not kindness, or humble ways toward, the future President.
Yet the United States has been in a moral and ethical meltdown in the past decades, example to military conquests to bring wealth to a few in the Military Industrial Complex, the for profit of a few extermination of the poor, most directly in the Middle East. Which is ignored by Chaput.
Who can avoid the snares of the Devil? The Humble person. Is very true, for none humble, relish and thrive on the ruination of others, a source of self promotion, as Chaput expresses, falsely teaches.
would you agree with that?
Right on, Lyle, but please consider whether all the world is really edified by your particular modeling of humility. Not to mention your unequaled insight, or is it incite (?) into all things great and small…
Incomplete sentences, coagulated verbiage, and random capitalization (or is it “unbridled capital-ism”!) make it a challenge for others to possibly appreciate what you’re getting at. Try proof-reading, a lesson for all of us.
I suppose Archbishop Chaput’s remark could have been made in private, as you propose, except that the USCCB intention to move in this direction was first upstaged by Cardinal Gregory who went public to simply say that he, instead, would “dialogue” with president-elect and cafeteria-Catholic Biden while also conceding the very point at issue.
The possibly interesting question that you could have raised is why Gregory was not named to the USCCB’s dialogue task force, or perhaps whether this omission was actually in respect for his more-or-less exclusive authority within his own archdiocese? In which case the Church has an interesting dilemma–how to apply Canon Law 915, that is, how to pastorally (your apparent message?) affirm respect for the Eucharistic nature of the Church (!), and how to avoid implicitly endorsing Biden’s scandalous and even sacrilegious version of the perennial Catholic Faith, while also adhering to “fraternal collegiality” among the bishops and now with the unilaterally pre-emptive Cardinal Gregory?
In any event, screeching from the sidelines from a broken record of unrelated contentions ought not to masquerade as, what’s that work again, oh yes, humility. After all, like pride, anger is another of the seven capital vices or cardinal sins…all of them temptations for all of us.
But, it simply does not do to publicly slander Archbishop Chaput, or anyone else, on the international platform provided by Catholic World Report.
The catholic church that allows Biden, Polosi or anyone who has openly admitted to agreeing with abortion to take communion is selling out and doing VERY GRAVE damage to the souls of those people. Communion should not be taken if the person receiving it has not repented of their sins because that person is taking communion to their own damnation. The church is selling out for the sake of high profile individuals and the money and publicity they bring to the church. Shame on the church and the church leaders for allowing this to go on.