Another “uncomfortable” bishop is heard from. Bishop James Moynihan of Syracuse, New York, says he wouldn’t refuse John Kerry Communion, despite Kerry’s public vow to defend the practice of murdering innocent unborn children.
“You just cannot pass judgment on someone coming up to you,” Moynihan said. “I don’t believe it’s enforceable. I do not believe I should make a law I cannot enforce.”
Your Excellency, you can and should and were given the tools by Jesus Christ to pass judgment. He even goes so far as to say that “he expects no priest in the diocese to withhold Communion from any Catholic who supports abortion rights.” That’s going a lot further than other bishops. He’s actually saying it’s okay to be pro-abortion.
What about a guy who publicly supports racism in a rally on Saturday? Can he receive on Sunday? To bring it closer to home, what about a guy who molests a child on Friday, declares he is unrepentant on Saturday and in fact proclaims his membership in NAMBLA. Can he receive on Sunday, too? In fact, is there anything that would disqualify anyone from receiving the Eucharist in a church in the Diocese of Syracuse? Maybe if you kneel to receive. That’s probably it.
Yeah – We are not called to judge people, but we ARE called to reject sin and evil. Your examples are good, Dom. No unrepentant child molestor should receive Communion, and neither should any unrepentant supporter of abortion. In the end, it is stuff like this which tends the Church toward irrelevance. Put another way, when you accept everything, you stand for nothing.
Bishop Moynihan is my bishop – I have walked with him many times to say the rosary in front of Planned Parenthood – and he has preached against abortion often and forcefully. I am disappointed in his stand (or should I say “non-stand”) on this issue. If only all our shepherds had the courage and wisdom of a Chaput.