Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was denied Holy Communion on Sunday at a church in South Carolina, a Catholic priest said.
Rev. Robert E. Morey told the Florence Morning News he had no choice but to refuse the sacrament to the former vice president.
“Sadly, this past Sunday, I had to refuse Holy Communion to former Vice President Joe Biden,” said Morey, pastor at St. Anthony Catholic Church. “Holy Communion signifies we are one with God, each other and the Church. Our actions should reflect that. Any public figure who advocates for abortion places himself or herself outside of Church teaching.”
Biden has said he supports codifying Roe. v. Wade — the 1973 Supreme Court decision that allows a pregnant woman to have an abortion without excessive government restriction — into statute but also said at a vice presidential debate in 2012 that he is personally opposed to abortion but does not want to impose that belief on others.
In June, his campaign told NBC News that the candidate supported the 1976 Hyde Amendment that prevents federal funding of abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is in danger. This put Biden at odds with many of the other candidates for the Democratic nomination. Days later, he said at a gala in Atlanta that he did not support the amendment.
The position of the Catholic church on abortion is that human life must be respected and protected from the moment of conception. (Florence Morning News)
Morey said he will be keeping Biden in his prayers.
Finally, a priest who loves @JoeBiden enough to prevent him from committing (another) mortal sin. I pray Father Morey will be backed, and won't have to see the underside of the bus. https://t.co/g6Wz9glVWX via @VoiceOfPeeDee
— Patrick Coffin (@Patrick_Coffin) October 28, 2019