Communion bans bring politics to church

[T]he politicians argue their case is different because they haven't directly violated church law, according to Kenneth Pennington, a church-law historian at the Catholic University of America in Washington.

"A few bishops are trying to selectively bar Catholic politicians from Communion for upholding the law of the land," he said. "This is a new idea among the bishops."

As an historian, Pennington does a poor job. The new "idea" among some bishops, is to perform their duty which is in Canon Law - both the 1983 code as well as the Pio-Benedictine Code of 1917.

"These politicians are making a mockery of the Catholic faith," said Amarillo Bishop John Yanta. "A lot of these politicians feel like if you go to church, you're a good Catholic. But actions speak, too. They should not come forward for Holy Communion."

But will he follow through with this as he should?

And Dallas Bishop Charles Grahmann argues that CEOs of media corporations that support abortion rights, anti-immigration policies, the death penalty and gay marriage should also refrain from Communion.

"These individual CEOs are as much of a threat to society as politicians who vote for abortion," he wrote in a column for the diocesan newspaper. "Neither should present him/herself for Communion."

This is flat out wrong for the bishop to equate things that are intrinsically evil with what is morally licit (Capital punishment) - he further confuses Catholics and he needs to be called to account for this.

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