With U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D) complaining that his diocese in Springfield, Illinois has denied him communion since 2004 because of his open support for abortion, Jim Sedlak of American Life League (ALL) says Catholic politicians need to remember church Canon law.
"Canon 916 says that anyone who is obstinately persistent in manifest grave sin should not present themselves for communion," he cites. "And Canon 915 says that if such a person presents himself for communion, he should not be given communion."
Abortion is one of eight manifest grave sins listed by the church.
"What is happening with politicians like Dick Durbin is they are voting all the time to allow abortion, to expand abortion, to make abortion more available, which means they are cooperating in the commission of this grave sin," Sedlak asserts. "According to the laws of the church, they should not be receiving holy communion."
Durbin, however, argues that some church leaders are being fundamentally unfair, despite Canon law to the contrary. So he simply shopped around until he found a church that would serve communion to him.
