Bishop Robert Vasa of Bend/Baker, Oregon, has joined Archbishop Burke and the few other like-minded bishops in declaring that he would refuse to give Communion to John Kerry or any other pro-abortion Catholic politician.
Bishop Vasa also confirms that Cardinal McCarrick withheld the text of Cardinal Ratzinger’s letter on the subject from the US bishops’ conference meeting in Denver last month, and maybe even from his task force that’s supposed to deal with the issue. In fact, as I’ve pointed out before, McCarrick’s report to the bishops contradicted Ratzinger’s clear language. However, while McCarrick’s report recommended that Communion not be denied to politicians or voters, the actual resolution of the bishops was that each bishop had to decide for himself.
One of the first controversies in our church occurred in the early years when it was not clear whether one had to become Jewish before they could become Christian.
Circumcision, as an adult, without the benefit of anesthesia, was a big deal. Peter and Paul met and determined that it was not necessary to follow Jewish law to become a follower of Christ. Remember, they were on opposite sides of the issue before their meeting.
Thank God they didn’t decide to “leave it up to the individual bishops.” The church might never have made it into the second century.