(I had foolishly considered holding back this piece from Dan Lynch until after the election was past or postponed. The more I thought about it, though, the madder I got that the anti-God progressives are starkly waging war against the faith and many of us are still trying to be nice. Hillary Clinton says the churches MUST change on certain things, such as abortion, gay marriage and transgenderism or be banned from polite society. Christians in America are being fined, bankrupted, deprived of their livelihood, and sometimes jailed for simply refusing to participate in what is directly contrary to their faith. Historically, those who publicly and flagrantly defy the non-negotiable fundamentals of the Catholic faith have publicly ex-communicated themselves. For Tim Kaine to continue to publicly defy the faith while claiming the mantle of it to win votes is a desecration – and I am embarrassed that I thought to hold back even as they try to destroy us in order to avoid giving offense. Beyond that, to act as if nothing is wrong is to confirm Kaine in his flagrant error, endangering his soul and making us participants in the damage to him. Here, then, is Dan’s piece.-CJ)By Dan Lynch
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine is the Democratic Party’s candidate for Vice President. He is also a Catholic.
As a senator, he has received 100% ratings from both Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Rights League against a zero rating from the National Right to Life Committee.
Mr. Kaine also suggested to a leading homosexual lobbying group at its fundraising dinner that the Catholic Church would evolve its teaching against so-called same-sex “marriage” just as he did, and that his faith justifies his support for same-sex “marriage.”
Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island wrote the following in a July 23 post on Facebook:
“VP Pick, Tim Kaine, a Catholic?
Democratic VP choice, Tim Kaine, has been widely identified as a Roman Catholic. It is also reported that he publicly supports ‘freedom of choice’ for abortion, same-sex marriage, gay adoptions, and the ordination of women as priests. All of these positions are clearly contrary to well-established Catholic teachings; all of them have been opposed by Pope Francis as well.
Senator Kaine has said, ‘My faith is central to everything I do.’ But apparently, and unfortunately, his faith isn’t central to his public, political life.”
Should Holy Communion be distributed to Senator Kane while he advocates for public policy contrary to Church teaching or does this violate Canon 915 and is it public scandal that may bring judgment upon his soul?
Canon 915 of Church law mandates that those “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.” In his letter to U.S. bishops on the subject, Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, unambiguously confirmed that Holy Communion should be denied “in the case of a Catholic politician… consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws.”
Cardinal Ratzinger also wrote, when “the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, ‘the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it’. This decision, properly speaking, is not a sanction or a penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgment on the person’s subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person’s public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin.”
Moreover, regardless of Canon 915, receiving Holy Communion in such circumstances constitutes a sacrilege.
Eucharistic sacrilege means to treat the Holy Eucharist unworthily and is a grave sin because in this sacrament the true Body of Christ is made substantially present for us. (Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 2120). St. Paul wrote, “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily sins against the body and blood of the Lord…. That is why many among you are sick and infirm, and why so many are dying. If we were to examine ourselves, we would not be falling under judgment in this way.” (1 Cor. 11, 27-31; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1385).
Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter, The Church of the Eucharist, reaffirmed this teaching. He said, “I reaffirm that in the Church there remains in force, now and in the future, the rule by which the Council of Trent gave concrete expression to the Apostle Paul’s stern warning when it affirmed that, in order to receive the Eucharist in a worthily manner, ‘one must first confess one’s sins, when one is aware of mortal sin.’” (No. 36).
It appears that Senator Kaine is “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin”, within the meaning of Canon 915, and that Holy Communion should be denied him on that ground as well as on the further grounds to prevent Eucharistic sacrilege and to prevent judgment upon himself and scandal to the faithful. As Cardinal Burke wrote concerning situations like this, it is not a punishment to be denied Holy Communion, but it is a discipline “in order to respect the holiness of the Sacrament, to safeguard the salvation of the soul of the party presenting himself to receive Holy Communion, and to avoid scandal.”
This is not a political issue, it is a spiritual issue to prevent sacrilege to the Eucharist and to promote reverence and protection of the body and blood of Jesus Christ really and substantially present in the Eucharist; to prevent judgement upon the soul of Senator Tim Kaine and to prevent scandal to the faithful where otherwise it might appear that it is acceptable to be a promoter of the Culture of Death while remaining in union with the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
However, neither Senator Kaine’s pastor nor his Bishop, Francis DiLorenzo, have stated that he should be refused the distribution of Holy Communion.
As Cardinal Burke, rightly observed: “No matter how often a Bishop or priest repeats the teaching of the Church regarding procured abortion, if he stands by and does nothing to discipline a Catholic who publicly supports legislation permitting the gravest of injustices and, at the same time, presents himself to receive Holy Communion, then his teaching rings hollow. To remain silent is to permit serious confusion regarding a fundamental truth of the moral law.”
Please sign the Petition to Bishop DiLorenzo that under the provisions of Canon 915, and on the grounds to prevent Eucharistic sacrilege, public scandal and judgment upon Senator Tim Kane, to publicly declare that if Senator Kaine with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, as Cardinal Ratzinger wrote, “the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it.”
St. Michael the Archangel said, “Let souls turn to me for renewed devotion to Our Lord in this Blessed Sacrament! He must be properly adored, loved, thanked, praised and worshiped in this the Most Glorious Sacrament. Let souls call upon me whenever sacrileges and abominations are being committed against the Most High God in this Sacrament of His Love. I promise to put to flight His every enemy. GREAT is my zeal for the glory of God!” (Jesus King of All Nations Devotion, Journal 86).
So, as St. Michael counseled, we should call upon him “whenever sacrileges are being committed against the Most High God in the sacrament of His love.” The sacrament that he refers to is the Eucharist and one of the greatest sacrileges against it is the reception of the Eucharist by those in the state of mortal sin.
Please sign the Pledge to Offer Reparation for Sacrilegious Communions.
Please copy and paste the cover letter below in an email to Bishop DiLorenzo. Then copy and paste my article beneath the cover letter and send the email and, to ensure that he receives it, please print both and mail them to him at the addresses below.
Email: bishopdilorenzo@richmonddiocese.org
Mailing address: Most Reverend Bishop Francis DiLorenzo, Catholic Diocese of Richmond, 7800 Carousel Lane, Richmond, VA, 23294
Dear Bishop DiLorenzo,
Please read the article below by Dan Lynch entitled Should Holy Communion Be Distributed to Vice Presidential Candidate Tim Kaine?
Under the provisions of Canon 915, and on the further grounds to prevent Eucharistic sacrilege, to prevent scandal to the faithful and judgment upon Senator Tim Kaine, I respectfully petition you to publicly declare that if Senator Tim Kaine with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, as Cardinal Ratzinger wrote, “the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it.” (Please see https://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/cdfworthycom.HTM).
I further petition you to follow the good example of Bishop Chrysostom. Bishop St. John Chrysostom told his priests, “Though a captain or a governor, nay, even one adorned with the imperial crown, approach [the table of the Lord] unworthily, prevent him; you have greater authority than he . . . Beware lest you excite the Lord to wrath, and give a sword instead of food. And if a new Judas should approach the Communion, prevent him. Fear God, not man. If you
fear man, he will treat you with scorn; if you fear God, you will appear venerable even to men.”
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely in Christ,
[Your name]
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