Confession

I've been Catholic for one and a half years now. Since then, I've made my confession in three different churches, just because I happened to be at a Mass where it was offered.

Our parish has a Mass every day of the week (some just do weekends), but the Sacrament of Penance is offered only for one hour on Saturday evening, before the vigil Mass. I feel that if it were offered before every Mass more people could benefit from it. That doesn't mean a priest has to hear 100 people before every Mass, but it would make it easier for people to have access to the Sacrament if they needed it.

- Deborah Pasno

Who is really excommunicated

For the past decade Catholics in America have been bombarded with politicians who claim to share the name “Catholic” but somehow not their faith. This started decades ago when the Kennedy clan claimed they could separate their God from their politics.

This year many fine bishops have fulfilled their duty to God in correcting these wayward sheep. This needs to be a universal application by both the bishops and their priests. The problem only exists because many bishops and priests have failed to perform their duty for decades. They were silent while millions of people were influenced by bad public examples. This silence gave consent and that bears great responsibility.

First and most importantly the bishops have allowed the Holy Eucharist to be abused and desecrated. Communion means sharing of ones belief, and in Catholic circles, it is a physical assent to the teachings of their Church. If someone is not spiritually fit to receive the Eucharist it is sinful to offer it to them. Cardinal Francis Arinze, the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship said it best. If it should not be received, it should not be given. Even a child knows this.

Secondly, the Scripture teaches us that the person who is not worthy to receive “eats and drinks condemnation on themselves”. These poor souls should have been protected from their ignorance by their pastors.

Nancy Pelosi at least gives some insight in this manner: “I think some of it is regional,” she said, “It depends on the bishop of a certain region, and, fortunately for me, communion has not been withheld and I’m a regular communicant, so that would be a severe blow to me if that were the case.” So maybe if Ms. Pelosi had been properly corrected all of this could have been avoided.

The Catholic Bishops conference agreed each Bishop needs to handle these cases in their Diocese, but bishops do not have the right to choose if they are going to handle them. Bishops are compelled to follow Church teaching as well as the laity  In both the Old Testament Ezekiel 33:7-9 and New Testament Matthew 18:15-20 God makes us accountable for not correcting our brothers and sisters.

There are several laws in the Catholic Church that would require Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Biden to refrain from Communion. They incur a latae sententiae excommunication. In other words by their actions they have separated themselves from the body of Christ. There needs to be no formal decree. But the Bishops and priests become collusive when they give consent to these public figures by word, action, inaction, silence or deed. For decades “Catholic” public figures have mocked the Catholic Church’s teaching and most Bishops have done nothing. They have exhibited a false charity and have refrained from true love. A good father does not let his kids languish in ignorance and sin.

There is no arguing that the Bishops and Priests inaction or action has lead to more abortions nationwide, more scandal to the faithful, and more abuse of the Holy Eucharist. I applaud the bishops and priests who are fulfilling their oaths and ask why it is not time for all Catholic bishops to protect their flocks for these wolves and their attacks.

- George Foster

Archbishop Niederauer's inadequate response to Nancy Pelosi (analysis)

You declare about Archbishop Niederauer: "He will not take any disciplinary action." Of course the scandal is grave and demands every attempt to rectify it, but with respect, I see nothing in his letter to rule out the possibility of his taking disciplinary action should Nancy Pelosi respond unsatisfactorily to his request for a pastoral discussion.

- Alan Yoshioka

St. Paul's faith based not on conversion of thought, but personal meeting with Christ, Pope says

When I go to the Vatican website to check-out the text from today's audience, it seems significantly different from the news story quotes that are reported. The Vatican website text seems a lot more abbreviated compared to the quotes in the news article. Why the differences? Is there another site I should check to find the complete text from his audience? I'm sure you know where to cross-reference, the Vatican link is here.

CWN Editor Phil Lawler responds:

During each Wednesday audience, the Holy Father delivers a fairly substantial discourse in Italian. He then offers a quick summary of his thoughts in several other languages. You have discovered the short English-language summary. The full text for that date-- including the Italian address and the comments in other languages-- can be found here. 

- Brenden Page

Pope's memo on abortion

Catholics who support a candidate’s views except for his/her view on a woman’s right to choose may be surprised to know the following words of Pope Benedict XVI when he was Cardinal. ( Memo from Cardinal Ratzinger to U.S. Catholic Bishops, June 2004.)

The memo states “....when a Catholic does not share a candidate’s stand in favor of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons.”

To clarify this statement, Voting for the Common Good, A Practical Guide for Conscientious Catholics, (www.thecatholicalliance.org) says. many pro-life candidates talk of ending abortion but don’t produce results. On the other hand, there are candidates who don’t believe in making abortion illegal, but who support effective measures to promote healthy families and reduce abortions. Catholics must look at a candidate’s position on other life issues.

Catholics may want to consider this Papal memo when voting for a candidate.

- Judy Cirillo