Foregone conclusions

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Nov 04, 2005

An editorial in the National Catholic Reporter, welcoming the results of the Synod on the Eucharist, contains this observation:

It is gratifying, too, that the synod essentially endorsed the conclusions of the task force led by Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick on the question of Catholic politicians.

The conclusions of the task force? The task force hasn't concluded anything.

In a preliminary report to the US bishops last June, the McCarrick committee suggested that pro-abortion politicians should not be denied Communion. Despite Cardinal McCarrick's claim that Cardinal Ratzinger backed that position-- a claim later exposed as inaccurate-- the full body of the US bishops' conference rejected that suggestion, preferring to leave the question unsettled.

Meanwhile, the McCarrick committee continued to ponder this topic, as the November elections came and passed. We're still waiting for their final report. But not holding our breath.