Springfield, IL Bishop has stated that Senator Durbin is not to be admitted to Holy Communion.
His statement:
I agree completely with His Eminence, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, who called the U.S. Senate’s failure to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act “appalling.”
Fourteen Catholic senators voted against the bill that would have prohibited abortions starting at 20 weeks after fertilization, including Sen. Richard Durbin, whose residence is in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. In April 2004, Sen. Durbin’s pastor, then Msgr. Kevin Vann (now Bishop Kevin Vann of Orange, CA), said that he would be reticent to give Sen. Durbin Holy Communion because his pro-abortion position put him outside of communion or unity with the Church’s teachings on life. My predecessor, now Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha, said that he would support that decision. I have continued that position.
Now, the newly elected Bishop of Richmond (formerly of the Archdocese of Washington) has Tom Kaine (D-VA) in his diocese. Sen. Kaine was one of the 14 who voted against the Act.
We know that during the 2016 presidential campaign, Tom Kaine was welcomed with open arms in his parish (even got a standing ovation). Sen. Kaine was also at the installation of Bishop Knestout.
So the question is: What will Bishop Knestout do? Will he follow suit? Will he go and speak with Sen. Kaine (and his pastor)?
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Note that I try not to comment upon matters outside of this diocese but Bishop Knestout was not only born and raised here, but was one of our bishops.
His statement:
I agree completely with His Eminence, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, who called the U.S. Senate’s failure to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act “appalling.”
Fourteen Catholic senators voted against the bill that would have prohibited abortions starting at 20 weeks after fertilization, including Sen. Richard Durbin, whose residence is in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. In April 2004, Sen. Durbin’s pastor, then Msgr. Kevin Vann (now Bishop Kevin Vann of Orange, CA), said that he would be reticent to give Sen. Durbin Holy Communion because his pro-abortion position put him outside of communion or unity with the Church’s teachings on life. My predecessor, now Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha, said that he would support that decision. I have continued that position.
Now, the newly elected Bishop of Richmond (formerly of the Archdocese of Washington) has Tom Kaine (D-VA) in his diocese. Sen. Kaine was one of the 14 who voted against the Act.
We know that during the 2016 presidential campaign, Tom Kaine was welcomed with open arms in his parish (even got a standing ovation). Sen. Kaine was also at the installation of Bishop Knestout.
So the question is: What will Bishop Knestout do? Will he follow suit? Will he go and speak with Sen. Kaine (and his pastor)?
++++
Note that I try not to comment upon matters outside of this diocese but Bishop Knestout was not only born and raised here, but was one of our bishops.
