On Friday, as the June meeting for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) came to a close, the voting results of an action item to discuss and clarify the Eucharist were announced. Many other action items had been considered and passed. This one is getting particular attention, though, as it could find pro-abortion Catholic figures, most prominently President Joe Biden, unworthy to receive Communion. To have such a pro-abortion stance is in contradiction with the teaching of the Catholic Church and causes a grave public scandal.
Action item #7 (meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the church): 168 yes, 55 no, and 6 abstain. #USCCB21
— U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (@USCCB) June 18, 2021
As Christine Rousselle wrote for Catholic News Agency, while reporting on this and the passage of other action items:
The measure passed by a vote of 168 to 55, with six abstentions. A simple majority was required for passage of the action item. The U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee will now lead the process of drafting the document, with input from other conference committees. A draft of the document could be ready to be debated, amended, and voted on by the bishops at their November meeting - which is currently planned to be held in-person in Baltimore, Maryland.
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The bishops had extensive debate before voting to authorize the drafting of a teaching document on the Eucharist. A proposed outline of the document, provided by the doctrine committee, included the Church’s teachings on the “Real Presence” of Christ in the Eucharist, Sunday as a holy day, the Eucharist as sacrifice, and worthiness to receive Communion.
America Magazine explained that the document "is unlikely to name any political figures but could articulate guidelines about when a political leader may be denied Communion."
It would not be appropriate for such documents to single out any one figure, which would not be the point. Rather the point would be to clarify the issue of worthiness to receive Communion for all Catholics, including and especially those who are public figures.
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, which is pro-abortion Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) home diocese, on May 1 released a pastoral letter, "A Pastoral Letter on the Human Dignity of the Unborn, Holy Communion, and Catholics in Public Life." Again, the document does not call Speaker Pelosi out by name, though.
Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote, weighed in on the results for the particular action item. "The overwhelming majority of bishops who voted to move forward with drafting a teaching document centered on the Holy Eucharist deserve high praise for prioritizing protecting the integrity of the sacrament above all else. The document, which will be debated again in November, is likely to address the challenges posed by public officials who flout foundational teachings of the Church, and yet continue to present themselves for communion. Millions of Catholics have been looking to their bishops for leadership on this and today's vote is an encouraging first step." he said in a statement to Townhall.
CatholicVote recently released poll results showing that church-going Catholic respondents agree that the bishops ought to speak with clarity on the issue.
When it comes to Catholic understanding overall, however, on the importance of the Eucharist, polls show that such an understanding of the Blessed Sacrament being so poor necessitates further explanation and clarification on the issue.
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