Illinois Bishop Bans Pro-Abortion Lawmakers from Receiving Communion

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.”

Sanders pushes ‘death penalty’ for crucial US industry that could give advantage to foreign adversaries

Mamdani under fire after symbolic 9/11 pen goes to former al Qaeda defense lawyer

While the Media Panics Over AI, Prisons Use It to Stop Rapes, Fights, and $200M Headcounts

X Caught a 200K-Account Chinese Bot Farm Pushing Panic Over AI Data Centers

‘Destroying the American way of life’: El-Sayed’s political orbit complicates effort to moderate his image

Mask-Off Moment: Palestinian Journo Calls African American Hakeem Jeffries an ‘AIPAC Monkey’

Kushner, Witkoff set for Kyiv talks after Putin meeting in US push for peace

Canada Talked Tough with Trump: Now Job Losses Hit 42K as Tariffs Are Set to Hit Harder

House Dems plot Trump investigation blitz if they seize majority

Karmelo Anthony seeks $250K for murder appeal as questions persist over family’s previous $634K fundraiser

California pizza joint allegedly used as meth distribution hub as illegal immigrant charged

Kennedy Center ceiling partially collapses as Trump-led board pushes for 2-year closure

Machete-wielding MS-13 gangster wanted for murder walks free after Biden-appointed judge releases him: DHS

Trump-linked MAGA Inc pours $10M into Ken Paxton’s Texas Senate race against James Talarico

Trump Admin Shows Iran What Real Power Looks Like: Responds to Attack By Annihilating 3 Oil Tankers

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.”