The bishop of Springfield, IL, has forbidden Catholic legislators who voted for the Reproductive Health Act from receiving Holy Communion in his diocese, citing penalties in Church Law for those who “persist in manifest grave sin.”
In a statement released by the Springfield diocese Thursday, Bishop Thomas Paprocki declared that “Illinois Catholic lawmakers who promoted or voted for extreme abortion legislation are not to receive Communion.”
Bishop Paprocki calls out two Catholic legislators by name, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, but extends the ban to any Catholic who voted for the bills.
“Due to their leadership roles in promoting the evil of abortion by facilitating the passage of Senate Bill 25 this legislative session and House Bill 40 in 2017, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton have been barred from receiving Holy Communion,” the statement reads.
“In addition, Illinois Catholic lawmakers who voted for either of these abortion bills are not to present themselves to receive Holy Communion,” it says.
These legislative leaders “have shown obstinate and persistent support of extreme abortion legislation,” the statement declares. “House Bill 40 legalized taxpayer funding for abortion and Senate Bill 25 makes abortion a fundamental right, allows for the killing of innocent children up to the moment of birth, and requires private insurance to pay for abortion, among other anti-life changes.”
Kansas Senate rivals distance themselves from party leaders in fiery debate
Omar Wouldn’t Say For Sure Her Ex-Husband Wasn’t Her Brother: ‘Not to My Knowledge’
Omar Wouldn’t Say For Sure Her Ex-Husband Wasn’t Her Brother: ‘Not to My Knowledge’
Mass firings vow sparks clash with Klobuchar over Walz fraud legacy
Trump dominates El-Sayed’s attacks against Rogers, but GOP rival offers unexpected policy split
Trump warns Democrats ‘want to burn it all down’ in South Carolina pitch
Abdul el Sayed, Mike Rogers clash over MAGA, Muslim Brotherhood in final Michigan Senate debate
ICE crackdown divides swing state candidates as GOP nominee vows to mandate sheriff cooperation
Florida attorney accused of threatening to shoot ICE agents while trying to buy gun
Did Vivek Ramaswamy Go Too Far? Some Republicans Object as He Doubles Down on Controversial Attack Ad
Is ‘Ilhan Omar’ a Fake Name? New Court Filing Identifying Omar’s Alias Has Americans Questioning Her Real Name
El-Sayed erupts at GOP rival over Muslim Brotherhood accusations in fiery Senate debate
California Driver Crashed While Watching X-Rated Content – Police Say She Killed a Retired Sunday School Teacher
DOJ urged to investigate Slotkin over threats to young professionals seeking work in Trump administration
Retired NYPD detective charged with murder in George Washington Bridge shooting of Con Ed worker: officials
The statement was accompanied by a formal decree, which was mailed earlier this week to those Catholic lawmakers who voted for House Bill 40/Senate Bill 25.
“To support legislation that treats babies in the womb like property, allowing for their destruction for any reason at any time, is evil,” the bishop said. “It’s my hope and prayer these lawmakers reconcile themselves to the Church so they can receive Communion.”
Bishop Paprocki, who is a canon lawyer, said that if these legislators would like to return to communion with the Church, they must seek sacramental absolution and demonstrate a “public conversion of life.”
“In view of their gravely immoral action to deprive unborn children legal protection against abortion, it must be said that any Catholic legislator who sponsored, promoted, advocated, or voted for these pro-abortion bills has acted in a seriously sinful manner unfaithful to the 2,000-year-old Christian teaching against abortion and therefore, would place themselves outside of the full communion of the Catholic Church,” the bishop said. “Such persons are not to receive Holy Communion until they have celebrated the sacrament of reconciliation and displayed a public conversion of life.”
Kansas Senate rivals distance themselves from party leaders in fiery debate
Omar Wouldn’t Say For Sure Her Ex-Husband Wasn’t Her Brother: ‘Not to My Knowledge’
Omar Wouldn’t Say For Sure Her Ex-Husband Wasn’t Her Brother: ‘Not to My Knowledge’
Mass firings vow sparks clash with Klobuchar over Walz fraud legacy
Trump dominates El-Sayed’s attacks against Rogers, but GOP rival offers unexpected policy split
Trump warns Democrats ‘want to burn it all down’ in South Carolina pitch
Abdul el Sayed, Mike Rogers clash over MAGA, Muslim Brotherhood in final Michigan Senate debate
ICE crackdown divides swing state candidates as GOP nominee vows to mandate sheriff cooperation
Florida attorney accused of threatening to shoot ICE agents while trying to buy gun
Did Vivek Ramaswamy Go Too Far? Some Republicans Object as He Doubles Down on Controversial Attack Ad
Is ‘Ilhan Omar’ a Fake Name? New Court Filing Identifying Omar’s Alias Has Americans Questioning Her Real Name
El-Sayed erupts at GOP rival over Muslim Brotherhood accusations in fiery Senate debate
California Driver Crashed While Watching X-Rated Content – Police Say She Killed a Retired Sunday School Teacher
DOJ urged to investigate Slotkin over threats to young professionals seeking work in Trump administration
Retired NYPD detective charged with murder in George Washington Bridge shooting of Con Ed worker: officials
Along with citing Canon Law, Bishop Paprocki appealed to recent statements by Pope Francis in which he compared abortion to hiring a hit man to resolve problems in life.
“I want to thank lawmakers who stood up to these barbaric pieces of legislation and voted ‘no,’ and I applaud their courage to speak the truth that the most basic right we should all enjoy, is the right to life,” Paprocki said.
Story cited here.
