Catholic News Service Spins Cardinal Ratzinger's memo again

Jerry Filteau of the Catholic News Service has written another 'interesting' piece on the newly released letter from Cardinal Ratzinger to Cardinal McCarrick.

The article is roughly 14 paragraphs excluding the new letter (apparently written for public display), and two of those paragraphs address the new letter. The remain 12 paragraphs basically reiterate and confirm what everyone already knew.

There is this little paragraph, near the end, just prior to printing the new "public" letter.

A number of news reports on the memo...inferred that the memo posed an absolute rule that all Catholic politicians who campaign and vote for permissive abortion or euthanasia laws must be barred from Communion if they continue to hold that position after being instructed that it is contrary to church teaching and warned that they should not receive Communion until they change their views.

A number of people inferred it as an absolute? But CNS did not?

One wonders if the people at Catholic News Service are reading the same thing everyone else is reading?

Evidently, this is what Catholic News Service wants people who read the article to remember. And that is unfortunate because it is false and misleading.

Is this a deliberate attempt to confuse people?

Anyone who reads what Cardinal Ratzinger said, cannot possibly understand his statements to mean what CNS asserts them to say, that is, not an absolute.

So, one more time, let's see what Cardinal Ratzinger said:

6. When “these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible,” and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, “the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it” (cf. Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts Declaration “Holy Communion and Divorced, Civilly Remarried Catholics” [2002], nos. 3-4). This decision, properly speaking, is not a sanction or a penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgement on the person’s subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person’s public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin. [Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion. General Principles, Joseph Ratzinger] (Emphasis mine)

And this is not all! Let us recall the words of the Holy Father in Ecclesia de Eucharistia in which he refers specifically to Canon 915:

[I]n cases of outward conduct which is seriously, clearly and steadfastly contrary to the moral norm, the Church, in her pastoral concern for the good order of the community and out of respect for the sacrament, cannot fail to feel directly involved. The Code of Canon Law refers to this situation of a manifest lack of proper moral disposition when it states that those who “obstinately persist in manifest grave sin” are not to be admitted to Eucharistic communion.76 (Emphasis mine)

Once again, I caution everyone to read Catholic News Service articles carefully, noting particularly the "spin" being applied to the "story". As CNS continues its slanted journalism, it won't be long before it finds itself side by side with other questionable entities.

I am still convinced that the statement in Cardinal Ratzinger's letter which states, "It is hoped that this dialogue can continue as the Task Force carries on its important work.", means that much still needs to be done in order for the US Bishops to be seen as in solidarity and union with the wishes of the Holy See as I noted here.

CNS Article.