Bishop Neal Buckon, vicar of the western half of the United States for the Archdiocese of the Military Services, celebrates Mass March 28, 2021, with Marines and sailors of the Catholic parish during a Palm Sunday service at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Chapel at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Jeffrey Caraway)
By Mary Margaret Olohan
Daily Caller News Foundation
A New Mexico Democrat announced Saturday that his bishop denied him Communion, amid debate among Catholics and public figures over the reception of the Holy Eucharist by pro-abortion politicians.
“I was denied communion last night by the Catholic bishop here in Las Cruces and based on my political office,” Democratic New Mexico state Sen. Joe Cervantes tweeted Saturday. “My new parish priest has indicated he will do the same after the last was run off.”
“Please pray for church authorities as Catholicism transitions under Pope Francis,” he added.
Cervantes appears to be referring to Las Cruces Bishop Peter Baldacchino, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
I was denied communion last night by the Catholic bishop here in Las Cruces and based on my political office. My new parish priest has indicated he will do the same after the last was run off. Please pray for church authorities as Catholicism transitions under Pope Francis.
— Sen. Joe Cervantes (@SenJoeCervantes) July 17, 2021
The state senator did not specify why the bishop reportedly denied him Communion, but his announcement comes amid discussion of whether bishops will deny President Joe Biden Communion over his pro-abortion policies.
Cervantes himself is pro-abortion and has said that he “fully” supports “choice.”
“There should be no laws which outlaw the private decisions regarding pregnancy,” he said, according to the Albuquerque Journal, in response to a question about whether he supported repealing a dormant state law outlawing abortion except in limited circumstances.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) overwhelmingly approved a measure in June to draft a statement discussing whether high profile pro-abortion politicians may be denied Communion.
The president has spoken about his Catholicism throughout his entire political career, referring to his faith as a source of solace during turbulent times in his life. Biden exhibits many outward signs of his Catholicism: he frequently goes to mass, has met with Pope Francis, mentions praying the rosary and visits the cemetery where his family members are buried.
Yet as soon as he became president, Biden immediately took action to fund and promote abortion — which the Catholic Church condemns as a “crime against human life.”
Biden’s public stances on abortion previously prompted a priest to deny him Holy Communion during a 2019 Mass.
“Sadly, this past Sunday, I had to refuse Holy Communion to former Vice President Joe Biden,” Father Robert E. Morey told the Morning News. “Holy Communion signifies we are one with God, each other and the Church. Our actions should reflect that. Any public figure who advocates for abortion places himself or herself outside of Church teaching.”
The former vice president later refused to discuss the incident, saying, “that’s my personal life.”
The Catholic Church teaches that Catholics may not receive Holy Communion if they are “conscious of a grave sin.” Catholics who have committed any grave sins must make a good confession before they can receive it, according to the church.
This story originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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