Bishop says denying Eucharist not part of church's pastoral tradition

While one has a "clear and grave obligation" to vote against legislation that bolsters abortion, the view of refusing Communion to politicians who support keeping abortion legal is not part of the pastoral tradition of the church, Pittsburgh Bishop Donald W. Wuerl said in a May 25 address.

"In fact, there seems to be a practice both in Rome and throughout the diocesan churches in Europe of refraining from disciplinary actions in such circumstances," he said.

Lack of discipline when it is required is a failure to teach. One does not confirm one's child when that child is engaged in disrupting or disobedient acts. The same is true for adults. Are not superiors obligated to discipline wayward subordinates when they are doing things contrary to legitimate demands of the superior? We are reaping the fruits of disciplinary failures and may do so for quite some time.

CNS article here.