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At the moment, controversy surrounds President Joe Biden, his Catholic spiritual beliefs and his political views. Last Friday, the American Episcopal Conference announced that it was drafting “guidelines” on the sacrament of the Eucharist. Part of these guidelines would be to deny communion to politicians who are pro-choice. President Joe Biden is pro-choice and supports a woman’s right to choose an abortion.
The movement of American Catholic bishops to deny Communion to President Joe Biden because of his stance on abortion is controversial.
While Catholic teachings consider abortion a serious sin, many believe that the Catholic Church should not interfere directly in political affairs. In fact, even Pope Francis himself rebuked the actions of the American Bishops’ Conference. “The concern at the Vatican is not to use access to the Eucharist as a political weapon”, declared the Jesuit priest and ally of Pope Francis, Antonio Spadaro.
But a conservative faction in the Catholic Church is unhappy with Joe Biden’s liberal leanings. After all, many of President Trump’s policies aligned more with theirs. As president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop José H. Gomez declared on the day of Joe Biden’s investiture: “Abortion is a direct attack on life that also hurts a woman. and undermines the family.
The move to deny Communion to President Joe Biden because of his beliefs in abortion, however, appears to be mostly symbolic. Ultimately, the bishops’ conference doesn’t really have the power to do this.
Apparently the Catholic bishops have not read our Constitution which states that there is a separation between Church and State.
I might like to read about it… .🤷â€â™‚ï¸ðŸ¤·â€â™‚ï¸
– Jayson | #BLM (@ OrlStrider2013) June 18, 2021
Local bishops have the ultimate power in their individual dioceses to make decisions regarding the Eucharist. Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, DC, said he would not deny Joe Biden the Eucharist. The Pope also has the power to deny Communion, but as we have already established, he does not approve of this move to punish Biden.
When asked about being denied Communion on Friday, President Biden said, “It’s a private matter and I don’t think it’s going to happen.” “[His faith] it’s personal, â€White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. He does not see it through a political prism.
The decision of the bishops’ conference to appoint President Joe Biden does, indeed, appear political. More than half of American Catholics would support legal abortion. Wouldn’t denying President Biden mean they would have to deny all other Catholics who are pro-choice?
Critics of the Catholic Church are angry that the bishops’ conference is spending so much time and energy publicly condemning the president when they believe they have bigger issues to deal with, such as the issue of sexual abuse within the church.
Spare me the moralization of the institution which is undoubtedly the world leader and historical in the matter of child sexual abuse.
– Unvarnished Truth â„¢ (@ SRMillar3) June 18, 2021
“The Catholic Church has protected a group of pedophile priests for years, but will they deny President Biden Communion because he thinks women have a right to choose?” wrote an angry Twitter user.
“Catholic bishops want to refuse Biden Communion for supporting abortion rights. But they do not deny themselves or their colleagues communion after having protected the pedophile priests, having mixed them up and having allowed them to abuse more children â€, wrote another.
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