Bishops Divided on Pro-Choice Politicians

Asked why there was so much disunity on the question of pro-choice Catholics receiving Communion, Denver’s Archbishop Charles J. Chaput told the audience at the University of Notre Dame on April 8: “The reason...is that there is no unity among the bishops about it.” He said, “There is unity among the bishops about abortion always being wrong and that you can’t be a Catholic and be in favor of abortion…but there’s just an inability among the bishops together to speak clearly on this matter and even to say that it you’re Catholic and you’re pro-choice, you can’t receive holy Communion.” There is a fear, he said, that if bishops speak clearly on the issue, they would make it difficult for Catholic politicians to be elected and would disenfranchise the Catholic community. The strategy clearly has failed, he said. “So let’s try something different and see if it works. Let’s be very, very clear on these matters.”