To the Editor:
Lately, much talk and articles have been written concerning politicians being pro-abortion and receiving Communion. The evil of abortion can involve committing the act, promoting the act or facilitating the act (“Formal cooperation with evil” per Catholic Answers and Catechism of the Catholic Church). This brings up another point. While growing up, I was taught that receiving Communion was a serious sin on your soul that would result in the commission of another serious sin called sacrilege (Catholic Answers — www.catholic.com). This teaching is for everyone, not just politicians. It involves all serious sins, not just abortion.
We are all sinners. God knows we are weak and will sin repeatedly, but if we repent and have a true desire/commitment not to repeat this sin, God will forgive us. This is very personal and we usually cannot know what is in everyone’s heart. However, our actions and our words speak volumes and betray us. For most of us, no one will know the sins we commit, whether we repent or the level of commitment to sin no more. Some people in the public eye show no sign of repentance or commitment to change their path. We as Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the body of Christ. When it is public knowledge that the person receiving the Eucharist is in sin, is the church not called upon to protect the sanctity of the holy Eucharist? I do not believe this is policing the Communion line or punishing anyone. This is giving holy Eucharist the respect it deserves.
We all have free will and the sacrament of confession is not being denied to anyone. If we have a serious sin on our soul, we need to start over and properly prepare ourselves to receive our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Communion.
Dennis Scheckel
DeWitt
