CDL. BURKE: NO COMMUNION FOR BIDEN
NEWS: CAMPAIGN 2020, US NEWS
Voting for a pro-choice candidate is 'ridiculous'
ROME (ChurchMilitant.com) - The former head of the Vatican's highest court is affirming that Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden cannot receive Holy Communion because he's in an objective state of serious sin owing to his longstanding support for abortion.
During a recent interview in Rome with Catholic Action for Faith and Family, Cdl. Raymond Burke clarified the Church's criteria for the proper reception of Holy Communion and even expressed confusion about why so many Catholics in politics cannot get the Church's unchanging position "straight in their heads." The cardinal was asked by the group's founder, Thomas McKenna, whether Biden, a self-touting Catholic, could receive Holy Communion while consistently voting for infanticide and abortion.
"Certainly he is not a Catholic in good standing, and he should not approach to receive Holy Communion," Burke replied. "A Catholic may not support abortion in any shape or form because it is one of the most grievous sins against human life. It is always been considered to be intrinsically evil, and to in any way support the act is a mortal sin."
Burke observed "the person in question" has not only been supporting the procurement of abortion in our country but has declared publicly in his campaign that he supports making abortion available to everyone in the widest possible form and repealing restrictions placed on the practice.
The cardinal gave two canonical reasons why Biden must not receive Holy Eucharist.
The first reason is out of "charity" toward Biden himself, said Burke, who wants to remind the Catholic politician that to receive unworthily is to "endanger the salvation of his own soul."
But secondly, the prelate observed that it gives "scandal" to everyone.
"It gives the impression that it is okay for a Catholic to support abortion," he explained. To say, "I'm a devout Catholic" and at the same time promote abortion is not acceptable — "and never will be," affirmed the cardinal.
John Kerry receiving Communion in Boston
(2004)
Burke emphasized he is not being political and does not intend to "get involved in recommending any candidate for office," but is merely setting straight the teachings of the Church.
The importance of receiving Holy Communion in a state of grace is not a new idea in the Church, the prelate pointed out. Alluding to 1 Corinthians 11:27–29, Burke said St. Paul taught the Corinthians that to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in a state of serious sin is to eat and drink one's own condemnation.
Burke leveled similar criticism against John Kerry, the Democratic Party presidential nominee in 2004. While the cardinal was archbishop of St. Louis, he forbade Kerry from receiving Communion during campaign stops in Missouri and publicly chastised him for supporting abortion.
"I don't know why Catholics who are involved in politics can't get this straight in their heads," lamented Burke.
He added that voting for Biden while he remains pro-choice would be "ridiculous."
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