Even so, the pope appears to consider Communion a private question between a believer and God. The pope himself has given Communion to pro-choice Italian politicians. And U.S. bishops returning from routine meetings in Rome this spring say there's no Vatican support for denying Communion in order to publicly sanction policymakers. Archbishop Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C., chairman of the bishops' Task Force on Relations with Catholic Politicians, has written, "I do not favor a confrontation at the altar rail with the Sacred Body of the Lord Jesus in my hand. There are apparently those who would welcome such a conflict, for good reasons I am sure, or for political ones, but I would not."
His task force will make a progress report at this semiannual retreat and meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The final report, expected in November, will address ways to implement the pope's 2003 teaching on "faithful citizens" in the face of contentious issues such as abortion, social justice, foreign policy and economics.
The bishops have said they will be unavailable for press comment during their retreat, which concludes Saturday.
Others, however, are jumping to the microphones.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2004-06-14-bishops-meet_x.htm
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore