Pro-Life Group Continues to Hold Pro-Abortion 'Catholic' Politicians Accountable

by Bill Fancher and Jody Brown
September 8, 2004

Like This Page? Tweet

(AgapePress) - A Catholic activist says pulpits may be to blame for a disconnect between Catholic Church members and church discipline.

The Catholic Church has canons that prohibit advocates of abortion from taking part in communion services. A recent poll found that 64 percent of Catholics feel that form of discipline is too harsh. Less than one-quarter (22 percent) felt such measures were necessary to protect the faith. The poll surveyed Protestants and Evangelicals as well as Catholics.

Joe Starrs of The Crusade for Defense of Our Catholic Church, an arm of American Life League, feels there is a misunderstanding at play. "I think that's because the bishops and the priests need to do a much better job at explaining why this church law exists and why it's necessary," he says.

Over the past year, more and more priests and bishops have been denying pro-abortion politicians communion, in accordance with church law. One of those was Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis, who while the bishop in La Crosse, Wisconsin, issued a formal decree barring those individuals from Holy Communion. Judie Brown, president of American Life League (ALL), called that a "historic step forward" in the church's dealing with pro-abortion Catholic politicians.

"Bishop Burke is not only enforcing church law but is courageously stepping forward in defense of innocent human beings," Brown said at the time, reiterating her group's message: "You cannot be pro-abortion and Catholic."

ALL notes that three other Catholic bishops have recently taken similar steps to "protect the Eucharist from the sacrilege of allowing Catholic pro-abortion public figures to receive the Sacrament." Brown says ALL is "overjoyed" at the actions taken by the Archbishop of Atlanta and the bishops of Charlotte and Charleston.

"It is our prayer that the rest of the country's bishops will join these steadfast shepherds of the Church by enforcing Canon 915, which states that persons 'who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to communion,'" says Brown.