Illinois bishops oppose abortion law, disagree on communion for pro-choice law makers

[Michie]

*You are in the Catholic forum*

The Illinois Reproductive Healthcare Act, signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday, recognizes abortion as a "fundamental right" and mandates that insurance companies cover abortions.

Continued below.
Illinois Bishops Oppose Abortion Law, Disagree on Communion for Pro-Choice Lawmakers

 

[Michie]

Why be a bishop that opposes the abortion law yet be against withholding communion from those that pass them? It is speaking out of both sides of their mouths.

 

[Davidnic]

It comes down to whether it is material cooperation with evil or not. Formal or informal cooperation. Remote or proximate

That's usually the decision point.

I think at this point maybe really hard to argue that it is not formal
material cooperation... Which would be the standard to deny communion.

Some moral theologians would argue that you cannot have remote material cooperation that material cooperation must be proximate.

In this day and age and the impact of these laws though you can definitely argue remote material cooperation in a formal sense.

 

[TuxAme]

“I think it would be counterproductive to impose sanctions, simply because they don’t change anybody’s minds, but it also takes away from the fact that an elected official has to deal with the judgment seat of God, not just the judgment seat of a bishop. I think that’s much more powerful,” Cupich told CNA.

I think it's counterproductive to allow someone who scandalizes the faithful to receive the Blessed Sacrament. These politicians are not serious Catholics- if you sign your name to a bill that allows for the genocide of the unborn, then you do not care about your faith and should not be receiving Christ in the Eucharist. It's no skin off their nose to deny them Who doesn't belong to them- they made their decision, and they can live with it until/unless they choose to repent. But those of us who take our faith seriously are left feeling betrayed by those who are supposed to be shepherding the Church when they refuse to properly act against wolves.

 

[archer75]

I have some limited personal experience with this (RC context) and I also don't get how someone can scandalize a whole town with flagrant and continued sin and then go on crowing about how pious they are and receiving Communion and all. Maybe it's my pride speaking, but it really bothers me.