Biden, Abortion, And Communion

Vir Speluncae Catholicus (The Lair of the Catholic Cavemen) has a post about Senator Biden still receiving the Sacrament of the Eucharist, even though Biden is pro-abortion and the Bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington has said:

The promotion of abortion by any Catholic is a grave and serious matter. Objectively, according to the constant teaching of the Scriptures and the Church, it would be more spiritually beneficial for such a person to refrain from receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. I ask Catholics in this position to have the integrity to respect the Eucharist, Catholic teaching and the Catholic faithful.

In that post, VSC also has an open letter to His Excellency, Bishop Saltarelli, and he asked that everyone take a moment to send Bishop Saltarelli an email and post this on their blogs. Per that request, here is my post with VSC's open letter.

Your Excellency,

According to the Associated Press*, US Senator Joseph R. Biden presented himself (August 24, 2008) for, and received The Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at St. Joseph on the Brandywine parish.

In light of your statements** that;

"The promotion of abortion by any Catholic is a grave and serious matter. Objectively, according to the constant teaching of the Scriptures and the Church, it would be more spiritually beneficial for such a person to refrain from receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. I ask Catholics in this position to have the integrity to respect the Eucharist, Catholic teaching and the Catholic faithful."

Your Excellency, I personally find it obvious that Senator Biden has chosen to ignore (if not openly challenge) your Apostolic Authority.

As if that wasn't bad enough (if the AP article is factual, and I have no reason to believe otherwise), doesn't that entail that someone at St. Joseph on the Brandywine parish is challenging you, as well?

Unfortunately, it's increasingly common for members of the Laity to ignore (if not outright publicly challenge) their ecclesiastical leaders. But I'm sure you'll agree that when ordained priests who've taken a vow of obedience to their Bishop, choose to ignore said Bishop and instead to give the general public, via the national media, the unmistakable impression that these very same priests owe more loyalty to a politically leader than their own Bishop, then obviously.... there's something dreadfully wrong.

I pray that God give you the strength and force of will to admonish, correct, and possibly even discipline those who have sought to usurp your authority.

Yours in Christ,
(insert name here)


* http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ik2lS4VwuX-sVWo4LzkBFm5TfNlgD92OP10G0

** http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/choice-biden-re-opens-catholic-wound/story.aspx?guid=%7BF7F82B76-3298-45A2-BA65-F171F4AE388A%7D&dist=hppr

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For those interested, here's Bishop Saltarelli's e-mail page. Feel free to cut and paste and send him an e-mail, as well. http://www.cdow.org/bishopmails.html

Please take the time to respectfully contact Bishop Saltarelli.

USMC 9971 OUT