Letters • June 28, 2021

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Let Communion remain a healing moment

It’s apparent that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops chooses this moment in history to be political rather than spiritual.

At a time when Church membership is declining, and when young people in particular are leaving the Church in droves, what is uppermost in the minds of far too many bishops? They want to draft a document punishing President Joe Biden, other politicians and, presumably, perhaps inevitably, the laity, too, for not being sufficiently “pro-life.”

The message would be: Get in line with the culture war obsession over abortion or — guess what? — you’re not “worthy” to receive holy Communion.

Our Church needs healing from the sexual abuse crisis, a renewal of devotion to God and to others, a serious effort to draw back into the fold those who have left, and a heartfelt approach to the needs of the young. We do not need a right-wing, culture war assault on the rights of our members to follow the dictates of our own consciences.

Who, indeed, is truly worthy of Communion? U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine put it this way in a May 18 National Catholic Reporter website posting: “Every priest or bishop celebrating Mass anywhere in the world, and every Catholic parishioner attending Mass, says these profound words immediately before receiving Communion: ‘Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.’”

If we believe the words we say as we receive Communion, why would we transform the spiritually healing moment into yet another earthly and divisive one? – Rick Howell, Roanoke

Grateful that bishops are addressing Eucharist

I applaud the bishops who overwhelmingly voted to draft guidance on how to minister to those who are specifically and promiscuously in contradiction with our faith, yet present themselves for Communion.

The motivation for this is prominent, pro-abortion politicians who present for the Eucharist on Sunday then advocate vigorously and repeatedly for killing the unborn the following weeks. This document is far too long in coming.

Those who support offering Communion to outspoken pro-abortion advocates offer only straw-man arguments in its defense. Bishop Robert W. McElroy, writing in America magazine, recognizes that withholding Communion from pro-abortion politicians punishes members of one party more than another and asks if any politician is really pure enough to receive Communion.

The first is undoubtedly true, but irrelevant. The issue is individual actions and beliefs, not party ideology. Besides, withholding Communion is not a punishment but a pastoral corrective. The second is a canard which excuses extreme wickedness because we are all sinners.

No one suggests that a known murderer should receive Communion without true repentance. Those who advocate, fund and devise legal cover for killing another are as guilty as the murderer who did it with his own hands.

Love of our brother as ourselves compels our Church to offer correction to save them from eternal damnation. – Steven Mains, Williamsburg

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