Cardinal Francis George: Sending Mixed Messages?

Cardinal Francis Eugene George, O.M.I., Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago, was recently quoted as saying:

As far as criticizing priests who give communion to pro-choice politicians, 'maybe you should talk to Pope Benedict XVI, who gives communion to the pro-choice prime minister of Italy. You have to look at a lot of things. It's not all that simple'" (cf. Catholic New World, March 18-31, 2007, "Persistence and Patience urged for Pro-Life Leaders")

Father J. Patrick Serna has written an article in response to Cardinal George's comment, which Matt Abbot has reprinted in his column. You can find it here: Priest concerned over Chicago cardinal's remarks on pro-abortion politicians receiving Communion

Any thoughts?

Comments

[James]

It IS simple; you don't bless or show respect to people who are promoting and advancing pure evil - and you don't give others (especially our young ones) the idea that it's fine to promote and advance evil and then to go receive Jesus Christ into your body.

If our priests cannot see that, then they are just desanctifying the Church, the Eucharist and Christ in the minds of many (and they have been powerfully successful at that, tragically...).

So many of our priests today are weak and cowardly men - who covet the power and prestige and affirmation that closeness to the powerful provides - and who fear, more than anything else, the disapprobation of the famous and powerful. They are too weak to put up a real fight for the good.

They are turning their backs to the kingdom of heaven, and their fronts to the kingdom of Satan.

Priests who tolerate anything stand for nothing, and those who tolerate the promotion of evil have joined that evil.

James

[Patrick]

...who covet the power and prestige and affirmation that closeness to the powerful provides - and who fear, more than anything else, the disapprobation of the famous and powerful.

I agree with the above statement. Church leaders, throughout the ages, have too often been willing to make compromises due to political considerations.

On an earlier thread, an atheist went on and on about all the terrible things that were done in the name of the Church by kings and soldiers. I believe the first ammendment is a great thing, not because it protects the state from being corrupted by the church, but because it protects the church from being corrupted by the state.

It is time for bishops to stop worrying about whether they will receive an invitation to have dinner with the mayor.

[Jeffersonranch]

You worry about Hannity. With leadership such as these, don't make me laugh.

[TM Lutas]

More complex? I think so. The fact of the matter is that discretion in applying sanctions has existed, does exist, and *should* exist in our Church. There is a point past which discretion becomes abuse. I think it quite likely that we've gotten to that point in an appalling number of dioceses.

It is right for a cardinal to caution against too strong a backlash, though. The reaction should not be to impose a straightjacket on bishops and eliminate their discretion. The solution is to return to the traditional path.

I think that the Cardinal George's statement can charitably be ascribed as trying to steer the middle course. That's part of the job description. I think that he is doing his job here.

[James]

There is no middle course.

Bishops who give communion to those who promote and enable abortion and partial birth abortion (infanticide) have joined with evil.

Satan laughs with joy at them.

James

[Jizzy]

Romano Prodi is a former Christian Democrat and I'm pretty sure that he opposed the legalisation of abortion. Yes he is sympathetic to homosexual rights, but last month he dropped his plans to give legal recognition to homosexual and unmarried couples in order for his unstable government to win support from Christian Democrat MPs.

Bishops are permitted to give communion to pro-abortion politicans but I don't think they should. How could you give the Body and Blood of Christ to someone who advocates the slaughter of unborn babies? Abortion is not a complex issue; it's black and white. You either support the right to life or you don't.