“But for Wales?”
Reprinted from KGBMan’s blog. Comments below are his. I am merely sharing the bad news:
15 Catholic Senators voted against the Nelson amendment.
Washington D.C., Dec 11, 2009 / 06:29 am (CNA).- A total of fifteen self-described Catholic Senators voted to table the Nelson-Hatch-Casey Amendment, which would have significantly restricted abortion funding from the Senate health care bill.
The Amendment failed by a 54-45 vote on Tuesday. It was co-sponsored by Democrats Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania, who were joined by Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah. Senator Nelson is a Methodist, Sen. Hatch is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Sen. Casey is a Catholic.
Besides Sen. Casey, Sen. Ted Kaufman of Delaware was the only other Catholic Democrat to vote against tabling the Nelson Amendment. Sen. Kaufman replaced Sen. Joseph Biden when he became the Vice-President of the United States.
I’m reminded of something Fr. Corapi once said: "The USCCB says there are approximately 65 million Catholics in this country. If there really were 65 million Catholics here, then this country would be far, far different than it is today."
Many people – including many Catholics – don’t understand why it is appropriate to deny communion to people who are visibly not in communion with Rome. They call it "politicizing the Eucharist." I suppose it could appear that way if you’re looking at it from a purely this-worldly view. But denying communion to a public sinner is the best thing you can do for the sinner. The same goes for excommunication: it is meant to awaken the sinner to his true condition and hopefully spur him to repent, confess, and do penance.
For the record, I would absolutely ask someone who was visibly and vocally not in full communion with the Church to refrain from receiving our Lord for the sake of my own soul, but most of all for theirs.
About John C Wright
John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.
