Burke: Pro-abortion Catholic politicians who receive Communion in ‘apostasy,’ automatically excommunicated

[Valin]

Alpha News

Without mentioning him by name, Burke said Catholic politicians like President Joe Biden commit a “particularly grave form of sacrilege” when they receive Holy Communion.

Anthony Gockowski

April 11, 2021

In a detailed and forceful statement on the sacredness of Holy Communion, Cardinal Raymond Burke said pro-abortion Catholic politicians who “publicly and obstinately” reject the Church’s teaching on abortion are in a state of apostasy and automatically incur the “penalty of excommunication.”

The doctor of canon law began his April 7 statement by providing a brief overview of the Catholic Church’s teaching on the Holy Eucharist.

“Regarding the Holy Eucharist, the Church has always believed and taught that the Sacred Host is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, God-the-Son Incarnate,” he said.

Burke said he has received countless questions from Catholics and non-Catholics who are “frequently scandalized by the all too common public betrayal of the Church’s teaching on faith and morals by those who profess to be Catholic.”

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He said pro-abortion Catholic politicians may also “be in heresy” if they deny the intrinsic evil of abortion.

“Heresy, like apostasy, incurs automatically the penalty of excommunication. Also, in the case of heresy, the Bishop must verify the conditions for the declaration of the penalty of excommunication, which has been automatically incurred,” he said.

Burke concluded his statement by affirming the Church’s teaching on the “necessary disposition of conscience for the reception of Holy Communion.”

“The answer to the question so frequently posed to me is clear: a Catholic who publicly and obstinately opposes the truth regarding faith and morals may not present himself or herself to receive Holy Communion and neither may the minister of Holy Communion give him or her the Sacrament.”