Russell Shaw asks: Can bishops agree on Communion for politicians?

I guess it depends on what one means by "agree"...but the short answer, lacking divine intervention, is probably "no."

"The bishops are not of one mind in discussing this question," Cardinal Francis George of Chicago diplomatically told an interviewer...

They've been arguing about that since 2004, and up to now the closest they've come to agreement was a statement three years ago saying each bishop could do as he thought best in his own diocese...

...there are several important differences between 2004 and 2007 where this issue is concerned...

Certainly everyone recalls that Archbishop Burke stated that John Kerry would be denied Holy Communion if he were to come to the St Louis Archdiocese. And as bishop of La Crosse, Bishop Burke had previously taken that step with other politicians supporting the killing of the unborn.

And many of us painfully recall what happened next, with countless weak-kneed bishops refusing to protect the Holy Eucharist.

... Among the critics of Archbishop Burke's position were prominent members of the hierarchy such as Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington and Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles.

Prominent members of the hierarchy? Only in these eyes of a few...

It's not difficult to see the polarization caused by Mahony and McCarrick on this issue. But they weren't the only ones...

Bishop Donald W. Wuerl of Pittsburgh -- now, archbishop of Washington -- complained about unilateral action by one bishop on a matter affecting them all. He called for a "process, mechanism or procedure" for reaching consensus.

Consensus...how accommodating for the bishop/politician - a pathetically sad example of being "lukewarm."

Next week the bishops meet in Baltimore to 'discuss' this matter some more...a matter which should have been settled by Cardinal McCarrick's failed special "Task Force" to formulate a 'report' and 'recommendations' about this issue.

Bishops who oppose refusing Communion say that would politicize the Sacrament, though it isn't clear what they mean by that.

They probably don't know either, it's just a nice sound bite which gives them cover in doing nothing...

Helping set the stage for the bishops' discussion in Baltimore -- along with Pope Benedict's remarks last May -- is the fact that several current presidential contenders are pro-choice Catholics. Another factor is a recent article by Archbishop Burke arguing his position in a canon law journal. Although it's no secret that the bishops are divided, the coming debate is likely to take place in executive session.

In his interview, Cardinal George called some Catholic politicians' voting records "scandalous," but he questioned whether the bishops could agree on a uniform policy.

One can only pray that, between now and the meeting, our Lord will give more of our bishops the courage, zeal and wisdom that so few seem to possess, especially when it comes to proclaiming the truth, and protecting the Holy Eucharist from sacrilege by those who publicly proclaim their support for the murder of the most innocent unborn sons and daughters of God.

Shaw's complete article is here.